In Hiding
by Scientist of Gryffindor
Summary: U.N.I.T soldier Ross survived the Sontarans once but is now in hiding from the U.N.I.T hospital he escaped from. In the woods one day he runs across George who is also on the run, but now together they start being hunted down by strange invisible creatures. Follow the pair as they battle the current alien threat as well as past demons together. AU fic Sontaran Stratagem/Poison Sky.
1. Chapter 1 - Last knight

**In Hiding**

 **Chapter 1 - Last night/knight**

* * *

 **Ross' POV (Flashback/dream)**

" _Just … keep … shooting", Ross thought as the Sontarans kept advancing down the corridor, firing laser-like red bursts from their guns. He gritted his teeth and kept firing his own weapon as he saw his friends and colleagues falling from the corner of his eye. All too soon he was the only one left, tucked around the corner temporarily out of sight._

 _He could still hear the boots of the Sontarans marching and see the red beams bouncing off the walls. With the determination of a man who knew he was going to die, Ross pushed away from the wall and spun around. The bullets barked out his gun's barrel towards the aliens, barely denting their armour. But his U.N.I.T training was taking over and he stood firm awaiting the final shot that he knew must surely be coming._

 _Dozens of bullet cases later, Ross' gun clicked to a stop as it had spent its contents. The Sontarans had now reached his hiding place and upon hearing the empty click of the gun, they took aim with their own. Ross turned away from the blast as he felt it scrape along his side, the force causing him to collapse into the wall behind._

 _His side burned as he looked up from the floor to see the Sontarans already walking away from him towards their next battle, already thinking him dead. The burning sensation became too much and he started to sink into unconsciousness._

...

 **(Present day)**

Ross shot awake, sitting up to run his hands over his face as the remnants of the nightmare were still fresh in his mind. It was the same thing he had been dreaming ever since that day at U.N.I.T where he had met the Doctor and the Sontarans; the day he had nearly died. He took several deep breaths to calm his breathing and shake the phantom pain in his side then rolled out of the sleeping bag onto the woodland ground beneath.

The pale blue sky above indicated it was still early morning. Through the throng of trees that surrounded his latest encampment, he could see the clouds were streaked with crimson from the sun. He ignored the voice in his head reciting the old warning about such clouds, he had learnt not too long ago that the only instinct he could rely on was his own.

As he wandered around his small camp preparing for the day ahead he heard a faint cry from the distance. Immediately he stopped what he was doing and listened; his head whipped around when he heard the sound again from the same direction. The noise unsettled him as it sounded not like an animal but more like a human.

After six months of being on the run from the U.N.I.T hospital, he had been careful to limit his interactions with people should it result in revealing his identity and blowing his cover. U.N.I.T could be a ruthless organisation and he wouldn't put it past them to lure him away from safety by putting an injured person in his path to play on his conscience and lead him into a trap.

He quickly gathered his camping kit and other supplies ready to move on to a new location but stopped in his tracks when the noise sounded again. Ross debated what to do next, the noise was definitely human and despite his need to stay hidden he couldn't just leave someone who was clearly in some sort of distress. He turned on the spot and headed off in the rough direction the noise had come from.

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 **Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with Doctor Who, only my OC character George and my cover drawing.**

 **The cover photo is a drawing of Ross, Donna, the Doctor and my OC George who you'll meet in the next chapter.**

 **A/N: I re-watched 'The Sontaran Stratagem/Poison Sky' and wanted to do a fix-it fic where not everyone dies :) I also wanted to explore some of the minor characters in Doctor Who that I thought had potential to be in it longer.**


	2. Chapter 2 - Invisible

**In Hiding**

 **Chapter 2 - Invisible**

* * *

 **(George POV)**

Twigs snapped underfoot and dirt flew up around her as George ran through the woodland. Not caring where she would end up she ran along the gravel paths with only one thought in her head; ' _Get as far away from them as possible so they can't see me'._

She had been running for what felt like an hour but was probably only minutes, even so her lungs were burning from the exertion of an unexpected run. As she ran she thought back to how she had got here two days ago when she had finally put into action her plan to leave her home life behind. Her journey had taken her away from her home town to the edge of the next county, using a bike as a means of less easily detectable transport. The bike then had to be discarded as she entered the wooded landscape of the large forest reserve that resided in that area, hoping to get far off the beaten track where anyone from her former life would not bother looking for her until she came up with a more permanent solution.

Until this morning George had not yet encountered any other people in her stretch of wood, but that changed when she had been awoken from a restless sleep by a loud rustling in the bushes around where she slept. The leaves on the bushes had been disturbed and bent backwards as if someone had pushed through them recently. Thinking that she had been discovered George had quickly packed up the small bag she had taken with her and set off at a fast pace through the trees. It wasn't long before she had heard footsteps behind her, following at a distance. That was when she had broken into a run knowing for sure that whoever it was, was after her.

George knew she was making too much noise as she ran and that whoever was following her could easily do so by the trail of destroyed foliage she was leaving in her wake. Before she had time to think about where she was actually running to, her foot caught an exposed tree root causing her to trip, slamming into something solid in front of her as she fell. From where she now knelt on the ground she looked up to see what she had collided with but to her confusion she saw nothing visible before her.

George slowly got to her feet and felt the air around her with her hands; her left hand struck something solid that appeared to ripple in the air as if it were made of water yet it felt solid. Thinking that must have been what she had bumped into she stepped backwards away from it and felt around to try and see how large it was. Behind her she could still hear the set of footsteps drawing nearer, they sounded only a few feet away as she froze on the spot. Not able to move forward around the invisible barrier, she turned around to face whoever was chasing her.

George could not see anything behind her either and wondering if she was going mad she called out.

"Hello? I can hear you so you might as well show yourself", she called loudly. After a minute with no response she tried again.

"You've chased me all this way so why are you giving up now?", once again her question was met with silence. George's mind was now going into overdrive, doubting whether she was making all of this up or if the invisible things were really there. The sound of the footsteps had stopped and there appeared to be no one following her anymore so George started running once again, swerving right around the invisible blockage in front of her.

After a couple more minutes of running, the sound of footsteps was suddenly closer than before and this time were joined by a second pair. George was abruptly grabbed from behind and roughly shoved up against the side of a beech tree by invisible hands. She cried out in alarm and tried to wriggle free but her attackers bound her hands with rope that strangely became visible once wrapped around her wrists. They held her up against the bark of the tree as she heard a high-pitched beep move from one side of her head to the other.

"Commander, my scanner reading detects that this life-form is human and is in the latest known location of our escaped fugitive", the voice was distinctly male but deep and nasally.

A second voice then replied; "Well then this pathetic human must be the one we are looking for, execute them immediately Stark".

Alarmed at what the second voice had said George attempted to loosen the bonds arounds her wrists; these invisible people seemed dangerous and why did they refer to her as human?

"Please, I think you've got the wrong person. I'm not a prisoner or a fugitive, I don't understand what you're talking about.", George pleaded, now frightened for her life. Her captors stopped the talk between them to laugh at what she had said.

"Silence human, you can only speak when I say you can. Stark what is going on, this was the only human life form in the area", the Commander demanded his voice accusing.

"I will scan again, Sir", replied Stark as George heard the beeping sound repeated. "It appears I was mistaken Sir, this human appears to be female not male and there are now multiple life form readings in the area", Stark admitted with a hint of hesitation.

Their conversation had done little to ease George's worries at having been captured my invisible attackers that may or may be real; or human for that matter. At least it now seemed that she was not the person they were looking for.

"You incompetent fool Stark!", snarled the Commander, "now we have to neutralise this human".

George was then forced down to her knees before something crashed down on her head in a stinging blow and she cried out. The hands that were holding her let go and she slumped to the ground; she heard her attackers disappearing away from her as she laid there in shock.

* * *

 **A/N: Introducing my OC George who will be joining Ross on this adventure.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with Doctor Who, only my OC character George.**


	3. Chapter 3 - Mysterious Discovery

**In Hiding**

 **Chapter 3 - Mysterious Discovery**

* * *

 **George's POV**

The next thing that George remembered was being shaken awake by someone repeating the words: "Hey, can you hear me?".

The Northern accent was unfamiliar but concerned so she tried to focus on it as she drifted awake. When she opened her eyes, the view tilted in front of her and a shooting pain spread across her forehead. She immediately gripped her forehead in response to the pain but found her hands tied together at the wrists with rope. She felt an arm reach out to support her shoulder and keep her upright. Once the pain had subsided she blinked a few times to focus on the person holding her up.

A young man was knelt on the ground before her with cropped black hair and a camouflage military style jacket. However, his tough look was offset by the look of concern held in his light blue eyes that was directed at her.

"Are you alright? It looks like you've taken a knock to the head", he said as he untied the ropes from around her hands. The minute her hands were free George reached up to feel her forehead for the source of pain.

"Um ... I think so, just have a headache," George replied, puzzled when her hands came back with a red smear of blood on them, "Not sure what happened actually". Unease began to creep up inside George as she tried and failed to recollect the memory of how she had hurt her head.

"Don't worry, we'll work that out later", the man replied obviously noticing the confusion on her face, "My name is Ross, what's yours?".

Ross held out his hand, so George took it as she struggled to get to her feet. She waited until the world had stopped spinning after her sudden ascent to reply.

"My name's George. Am I in some sort of trouble, you look like military?", she asked fearing that she had been found already after only two days on the run. It would have been enough time for her relatives to set up a missing persons enquiry.

"No, you're alright, I'm not a soldier anymore. I left all that behind a while ago", Ross responded but George was still too muddled to give a proper response so just nodded instead. She noticed him frowning at her in thought like he was trying to assess what was going on.

"Anyways, you should probably get that head injury checked out, is there anyone you can call to pick you up?", he asked.

"No. No hospitals", she responded quickly trying to ignore the surprised look Ross gave her, "I'm fine, thanks for your help but I should be on my way". She gave him a grateful smile and began to rush away, the last thing she needed was someone finding out who she was and reporting her to the police no matter how good their intentions. However, she didn't get very far before her head began to swim again and she would have fallen to the ground had Ross not been there to catch her.

"Are you sure you don't want to go to hospital, head injuries can be nasty", Ross queried as he helped her sit back down again.

"Please don't take me to a hospital", she asked looking up at him. She could see the dubious expression on his face and she silently begged him to understand that she meant it.

"Okay no hospitals", he agreed eventually, "But I'd feel much happier if you at least let me look at your head, I've got some basic first aid skills and supplies from when I was a soldier. It's up to you though".

George thought over his unexpected offer. Even if she didn't go to a hospital, her head still needed medical attention and her lack of memory about the situation was a little concerning. She concluded that she didn't really have much choice but to accept Ross' offer.

"Okay thanks, I'll let you treat my head then once I feel better I'll go", she said standing up, now steady enough to walk unaided.

"Great, but first we should move somewhere safer", Ross suggested and motioned for George to follow him through the trees. Meanwhile George was trying to ignore the fact she was putting herself in the hands of a stranger.

…

 **Ross' POV**

Ross walked through the woods looking over his shoulder occasionally to check that the young woman, George, was still behind him. He was just as confused as she was about why she had woken up in the middle of the woods with a nasty gash across her temple. She looked like she was in her early twenties and only had a small rucksack with her that may hold some clue as to what she was doing there.

The simplest explanation could be that she tripped and hit her head when she fell whilst out on a walk. But the fact that Ross had found her tied up next to a tree suggested otherwise; that she had been attacked and subsequently knocked out. However, even that idea didn't feel right as her bag full of possessions was still with her and had not been taken by whoever attacked her. The speed at which she had demanded to not be taken to a hospital for treatment despite her confused state also indicated to Ross that maybe there was something else there that George was not telling him, the real reason why she was in these woods.

Since he had packed up his camp earlier that day Ross didn't have anywhere that he could take them to stop and assess the situation. He decided to continue walking until he came across a suitable place to camp out that was far enough away from where he had found George to avoid any more potential trouble.

An hour had passed when they eventually stopped in a small clearing, the area being large enough for two people to sit comfortably in but hidden away behind bushes so as not to be stumbled upon. Ross lead them down towards where he could hear a fast-running stream a few metres away from the clearing and asked George to take a seat on the largest rock. He then swung his rucksack off his back to retrieve the medical supplies stolen from U.N.I.T before running away; he could feel that George kept her eyes trained on him the whole time.

"How come you left the army?", she asked him, probably wanting to know if he had gotten into trouble and whether staying with him would be dangerous or not. Ross finished rummaging around in the bag and prepared an antiseptic wipe and bandages. He crouched down in front of George before answering her question.

"I was injured during a fight, quite badly actually. I ended up in the military hospital for a month then things got a bit more complicated", he tailed off as George winced from the pressure he was applying to her wound.

"Sorry", he continued, "Let's just say by the time they wanted me to leave the hospital I didn't exactly believe in their way of life anymore, so I discharged myself." He finished cleaning George's wound and opened a pack of steri-strips to apply to it, making sure to close the cut properly.

"I'm sorry to hear about your injury. I presume the reason you're still on the run is because they didn't approve of you leaving", George enquired. He could detect the slight edge of anxiety in her voice as she then asked, "Are we in any danger from them?"

"We?", Ross quirked an eyebrow but answered her question anyway, "If you're concerned about me helping you then don't be. I've stayed hidden from them for six months and they haven't caught up with me yet", he finished with a confident smile that he hoped would reassure her.

"Six months?", George repeated, "funny, it feels like I've been running since then too". Realising she had let slip a bit too much information than she intended, she stood up to walk away but swayed slightly as Ross had to catch her again.

"Woah not so fast, you've still got concussion. Look why don't you stick with me until you feel better then you can leave", he offered knowing that it wouldn't be wise to let her wander through the woods with a fresh head injury and with potential attackers still posing a threat in the approaching darkness of evening. He saw her eyes frown in thought and she gave a defeated sigh.

"Okay, I suppose staying until my concussion has gone _is_ probably a good idea. It looks like I'll have to stick with you", she responded with a tentative smile. Ross was glad she had made the sensible choice for now, but he sensed that at the first opportunity she would want to continue running and go somewhere else. To be honest that suited him fine as having someone else around would only increase his chances of being found by U.N.I.T.

* * *

 **A/N: Most chapters will be in this style with the different character's POV to carry the story on but they will always be marked clearly.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with Doctor Who, only my OC character George.**


	4. Chapter 4 - Shared problems, new plans

**In Hiding**

 **Chapter 4 - Shared problems and new plans**

* * *

 **George POV**

For the third morning in a row George found herself waking up with a canopy of trees above her, except this time she was in the sleeping bag that Ross had loaned to her because of her current head injury. She rolled onto her back, careful not to jostle her aching head too much and looked to her left to find Ross still asleep on the ground a few feet away.

She tried to recollect her memories of what had happened yesterday before she was found by Ross who seemed to think that she had been attacked and then tied up. But neither of them was saying what was obviously wrong about that theory; if she had been mugged then why didn't they take her rucksack? She could remember running through the forest after something had woken her up and forced her to flee but nothing after that. Struggling to recount anything more she sighed in frustration and got up to wash away the mud and dirt from the forest floor that had lodged in her hair as she slept. The little stream they had sat by the day before was not deep enough to sit in, so she had to settle for cupping her hands to scoop the water up and tip it over her.

A short while later when she was sat watching the water flow with leaves and twigs getting caught in the current, she heard someone approaching and turned around to see Ross walking towards her.

"Morning, how's your head today?", he asked as he dipped two water canteens into the stream then popped sterilising tablets inside them.

"It's not too bad now, I don't feel dizzy anymore. Thanks to your help yesterday", she replied gratefully, taking the bottle of water that he handed her.

"Hey, no problem. I'm pleased to know it helped", he responded but his smile faded slightly as he added, "I suppose that means you'll be wanting to leave now?".

George took another drink from the bottle as she thought about what Ross had asked. She still wasn't exactly sure how to answer that question or what her plan was next. Up until yesterday it had been to continue running further into the woods to try and find a small village that she could reside in for a while then maybe risk going to a train station and travelling to the other end of the country. But now she was unsure of where she should go next, she knew she would have to stay away from people in the towns to avoid being spotted as a missing person, but now it seemed she wasn't safe by herself in the woods either. She decided to confess as much to Ross.

"Honestly, I'm not sure what my next move will be now, it seems like I'm not safe here in the woods and I can't go back into the towns either. That coupled with my inconvenient memory loss has kind of put a damper on my plans", she explained still trying to sound as optimistic as possible, so Ross didn't see how lost she was feeling at that moment.

"If you don't mind me asking, what were those plans exactly George? I don't want to interfere, but it might help us work out what happened to you yesterday if I know why you were in the woods in the first place", Ross asked inquisitively. George knew that he was only trying to help and that she probably did owe him an explanation after helping her yesterday without demanding any questions first.

"Remember yesterday when I let slip that I felt like I'd been running for six months too, well technically I only left home three days ago but really all I was waiting for was the right time to do it", she started as Ross sat back down on the rock opposite her, nodding at her to continue with her story and explain further.

"Six months ago, when the sky was filled with ash and smoke as the ATMOS car systems tried to poison the planet, I lost my parents when they got trapped inside our car. I couldn't get them out in time, I couldn't break the glass and they ... didn't make it. Ever since then I have been surrounded by claustrophobic relatives attempting sympathy but really blaming me for not preventing my parent's death. I felt like I was losing control therefore I thought that I might as well be literally lost as well and when I couldn't take it anymore I ran. I know that makes me sound like a coward, right? But that's why I ended up here", George finished her story and looked up from the spot on the floor that she had been talking to.

The expression on Ross' face was a cross between sadness and something she couldn't quite discern but it was not pity as she had received from many other people over the past six months and she did not expect the answer he gave her next either.

"George, I'm so sorry to hear about your parents. I lost people too that day, good men on my team. I understand what you mean about people throwing sympathy around without really meaning it then in the end they go away too. I guess that day really messed both of us up didn't it", Ross responded his usual light tone downcast and sincere and George could finally work out the second emotion that was hidden in his eyes; guilt.

George reached over to grip his knee in a gesture that she hoped would offer some comfort. Her eyes finally met his and despite being near strangers a look of mutual understanding passed between them about what happened that awful day. Then just as quick Ross' easy smile was back on his face as he swiftly changed the conversation to more pressing matters.

"If there are relatives looking for you here then it would probably be a good idea to leave this part of the woods as soon as possible. How'd you fancy a trip somewhere else?", he suggested.

"Are we partners in crime now?", George laughed.

"Just looking out for you that's all, plus being on the run would probably be better with someone else", Ross replied apprehensively. George couldn't help but agree, Ross had more experience than her when it came to travelling around and he seemed good company.

"Guess I'm staying with you a little longer".

* * *

 **A/N: My OC George represents what happened to the normal everyday people when the Sontarans came to invade, the ones that weren't trained by U.N.I.T or the Doctor to deal with things.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with Doctor Who, only my OC character George.**


	5. Chapter 5 - Into the wilderness

**In Hiding – Chapter 5**

 **Into the wilderness**

* * *

 **Both POV**

George and Ross spent the rest of the day planning the route to where they would walk next using a map of the local area George had picked up from home before she had left. Whilst her map reading skills were a bit rusty, Ross certainly made up for it with his impressive knowledge of navigation from his military training. Within a couple of hours, they had mapped out a route that would take them further North through the forest then into farmer's fields that lay beyond. Although the fields would be out in the open they could easily blend in as walkers enjoying the country footpaths. Their endpoint was an old farm building marked on the map near a small hamlet that was at least five miles from the next residential area. It would give them a chance to stock up on any supplies that they needed now that two people had to be accounted for.

Once the sun had started to set behind the trees and the light levels were dimming, George and Ross finished packing up their make-shift camp then set off following Ross' compass North towards the edge of the woodland. As they were walking along they made sure to keep their eyes and ears trained for any sudden noises that may alert them to people nearby. To look as inconspicuous as possible Ross had ditched his camouflage jacket for a black zip-up hoody that would blend into the dark trees better. George had also decided that dark colours would be best and was wearing a dark blue windcheater to keep her hidden. The only thing that marked them out as not-your-usual-tourists was the cut on George's head that still required the steri-strips to hold it together, however she had attempted to cover it with her fringe, so it was no longer in plain view.

A couple of times they had to stop walking and duck behind a tree when they heard voices but each time it turned out to be dogwalkers. George suspected they were being over-cautious, but she trusted Ross knew what he was doing, after all he had managed to stay undiscovered for the past six months.

After two hours of walking they finally broke free of the cover of the forest as it thinned out into single dots of trees. The sun had now completely set and the dark of the woodland was matched by the dark sky up above the fields. It had been part of their plan to leave in the semi-darkness so that the number of people around would decrease, and they wouldn't stand out as much in the middle of the moonlit fields.

At the edge of the treeline the footpath forked in two directions across the first field. They stopped to consult the map, Ross tracing the line of the footpaths they needed to follow with his finger.

"If we take this right-hand fork it should be the quickest way around the first couple of fields, then we just follow a second path back into a wooded area on the edge of the farm where this barn should be", he explained whilst setting the next compass bearing and checking the right-hand path would lead them in the correct direction.

"Sounds straight forward enough and now that it's dark we don't have to worry so much about walking across an open field either", George said, reassured that for this part of the journey at least they wouldn't have to hide.

"Bet you're looking forward to sleeping under a proper roof again?", Ross asked as he lead them onto the path that hugged the right edge of the field.

"Honestly, I kind of liked waking up under a canopy of trees. It kind of made me feel free which I suppose is part of the reason I came here", George responded truthfully.

"I actually quite enjoy it too but considering someone stole my sleeping bag last night I wouldn't mind staying somewhere warm", he joked trying to lighten the mood again.

"I seem to remember you saying I could have it due to my unforeseen head injury that needed protecting from the cold", George countered with a tone of mock-offense but really, she was trying not to laugh.

"Yeah alright but don't expect to have it again tonight, it's my turn now", he replied, giving George a playful shove but due to the deep ridge around the edge of the crops that they were walking in, she lost her balance and tripped letting out a noise of surprise. Without warning a flock of birds took off from a neighbouring tree silencing the pairs laughter making them aware that they were probably making too much noise. They waited a couple of minutes without further noises before carrying on across the field, this time in purposeful silence.

…

 **George's POV**

Out of the darkness before them loomed the solid shadow of the old farm building, as they flicked their torch beams across its walls briefly George could see that it wasn't a wooden barn like she had expected. Instead its walls were made of scarred brickwork from the ivy that trailed up its sides and it still had a proper roof; although the pile of smashed tiles at the bottom of the walls indicated that it had fallen into a state of some disrepair. As they drew closer she could also see that the windows no longer contained glass, all that remained were the empty wooden cross frames. Despite its tumbled-down look it would still provide them with a more sheltered base than the woodland could provide.

"Let's hope no-one else is home", George stated when they were a few metres away, still hidden behind the bushes that surrounded it.

"We'd better go over and check then", Ross said as he crept out from behind the bush and motioned for George to follow him.

Together they walked over to the barn, keeping as quiet as they could in case there was someone already inside. When they reached the end wall Ross signalled for them to split up and take either side of the barn. As George stepped around the corner she shone her torch into the first open window and glanced inside, using the stone window ledge to haul herself to the right height. After they had both circled the building it became obvious that they were the only people staying in this area.

Ross opened the barn's wooden door and they entered their next temporary shelter. Much like the outside, the interior was also falling apart. It appeared to have once been used as a cross between a shepherd's hut and a storage unit. Along one side wall were the remains of wooden shelving units, some with shelves missing and a layer of dust covering them. The opposite end of the hut contained a wooden bunk-type bed that would have been used for the farmer to stay in overnight if it wasn't possible to return to the main house in bad weather. Also, at that end was a three-legged table but no chairs; it seemed anything of value had long been cleared out and George hoped that whoever owned it had no need to return there in the near future.

They quickly set about arranging their kit in the small space before turning in to get some much-needed rest.

"Hey Ross?", George said quietly, "I never really thanked you properly for helping me yesterday, you could have just carried on but instead you chose to help even though it could have meant risking your cover, why?". She rolled over on her side to face where Ross was laid on the floor beside her bunk in the sleeping bag.

"I don't know, I guess I just saw someone in trouble and knew I had to do something. Same reason I became a soldier so that I could help people, although that didn't exactly turn out well in the end", he replied shifting so he could also face George. "That day six months ago when all turned to Hell, there was this man fighting alongside us who taught me that everyone deserves to be helped without judgment and I knew I couldn't go back to be the soldier they wanted after that".

"You know, a lot of people would have made mistakes that day but I'm sure you're not one of them. I've been blaming myself for what happened that day too even though I know now there wasn't anything else I could have tried. We just have to try to move on from it", George finished.

"What, by both running away from our problems at home?", Ross sighed frustrated, "some people wouldn't call that coping with things".

"Well if that's what it takes to deal with it then so what? I don't know about you, but this is an improvement on what is waiting for me back home," she admitted, turning onto her other side so she could no longer see Ross' eyes burning away the intricate layers that she had putting up around herself for six months.

"I'm sorry", she heard him say to her back, "I shouldn't have snapped at you, I'm just not used to being with someone else after -"

"Ross", she cut off his ramblings and whispered, "I know. Goodnight".

"Night George".

* * *

 **A/N: Not sure if sleeping in an abandoned barn is technically against the law or not but it will do for now.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with Doctor Who, only my OC George. (Title inspired by a Walk the Moon lyric).**


	6. Chapter 6 - Confessions of an alien kind

**In Hiding**

 **Chapter 6 – Confessions of an alien kind**

* * *

 **Ross' POV**

It had just passed two o'clock in the morning when Ross was woken up by a loud slamming noise that sounded worryingly close to their barn. Quickly he rolled over to see if George had woken up as well; he saw her looking down at him through the dark with a curious look on her face. Ross could feel his heart thumping in his chest as the adrenaline started to kick in. They barely had enough time to get out of bed before the barn door was kicked in with another bang. He grabbed onto George's arm and shoved her behind him as torchlights spilled through the open door illuminating two silhouetted figures in the entrance.

The two intruders were both shorter than Ross and George but appeared to be very well built and armed with a weapon underneath their torches. They stepped further into the room effectively blocking the exit and trapping the pair at the opposite end.

"Commander, I have correctly located the fugitive and it seems he is with the female we encountered only two days ago", spoke one of the figures.

"Very good Stark, it seems we have doubled our bounty", the Commander replied.

A chill ran down Ross' spine as he recognised those deep, nasally voices he had not heard since six months ago when he had fought for his life. It seemed he could run no longer and his days at U.N.I.T had caught up with him as he stood facing the two Sontarans in his path.

Another shockwave ran through him as he felt George freeze behind him and whisper: "Oh my gosh, I remember, it's them", clearly referring to the people who had attacked her in the forest.

Ross' past experience with the Sontarans meant he knew they were unlikely to negotiate, however the lack of weapons on his side (he had the Doctor to thank for that) meant that it would probably be his best choice. He took one step forward in response.

"Human scum, you will surrender to the Sontarans or be taken by force", the Commander demanded, holding his gun aloft as a display of power.

"Ross who are these people?", George asked from behind him, he could hear she was scared but was doing her best to not let it show in front of them. Despite the imminent threat before them he spun around to her.

"Hey, it's okay", he mouthed before addressing the Sontarans, trying to think of what to say to stall for time.

"Does the Doctor know you're back on this planet? You know since you tried to destroy the Earth I've kept in contact with him, one call from me and he'll be here", he threatened. At the mention of the Doctor a flicker of fear crossed the Commander's face but was quickly replaced by a smug grin.

"You would do well to ensure your threats can be backed up before you make them, soldier", he snorted in amusement, "You should know that the Doctor only comes when the whole of his precious planet is in danger, not a couple of worthless humans".

"Oh well, was worth a try", Ross quipped. He knew it would be too risky to chance their escape by physically challenging their opponents as they could be shot down before they reached the back of the Sontarans' necks.

"Enough talk! Stark activate the tranquiliser gas", the Commander snarled. The second Sontaran, Stark, opened a metal flap on his arm to reveal a set of different coloured buttons.

"Hey stop!" George shouted as she stepped out to stand beside Ross holding up a can of her spray deodorant; "I don't think you want to do that, we're armed". Without further warning she released the contents of the spray can into the Commander's face temporarily blinding him.

Not wanting to waste the chance George had given him, Ross sprung forward and landed a kick on the back of Stark's neck causing the alien to crumple to the ground. However, his relief was short-lived as he saw George struggling in the grasp of the Commander despite her best efforts to wriggle free. The Commander had his gun pointed to the side of her head with his finger resting on the trigger.

"I warned you soldier, you will not escape me twice, now surrender or I will kill your little friend", he stated, his whole face contorting into an ugly smile.

Ross reluctantly held his hands up to his head and knelt on the ground; the look of anger burning in his face was one that George knew was rooted in the past when these aliens had killed his men.

The Sontaran Commander holding George shifted his right arm to open the panel of buttons; the first click closed the visor on his blue helmet and the second released a stream of tranquiliser gas out of the end of his gun.

The last thing George and Ross heard before the knock-out gas sent them to sleep was a faint, "Sontar – Ha", escaping from the Commander's helmet.

 **George's POV**

George found herself waking up in a room that was scarcely bigger than 3 metres squared. It looked like they were in the hull of a metal ship as three of the walls were held together in riveted, rectangle panels aligned end-to-end. The fourth wall was created by vertical metal poles like that of a cage and if she looked out of the bars she could see multiple rows of rooms exactly like theirs, giving her the impression that they were being held in some sort of prison.

In the opposite corner to where she sat was Ross, also chained up against the metal panels but was still asleep from the gas; or was pretending to be. She sighed in defeat and took time to think through her current situation. Everything that had happened to her the day that Ross found her had appeared in her mind as soon as she saw the Sontarans again, like a dam had broken and the memories had trickled through all at once. She remembered the invisible people that had grabbed her then knocked her out because she wasn't the person they were looking for. The person she now knew was Ross who had encountered these creatures before and yet had failed to mention them when she asked if they were in any danger before. Unsure of what to think about this situation and feeling more confused than she had in days, George decided to keep quiet and wait for Ross to wake up.

A few minutes later he raised his head to look at her through eyes still groggy from sleep.

"Morning", he said "come here often?", somehow still managing to crack a joke even when they were in trouble. George decided she was not in the mood for joking.

"You lied", she stated, "I asked if we were in any danger and you said no, when clearly you were being hunted by these – aliens". She hadn't meant for it to come out so bluntly but the stress of the last few days was getting to her and she just wanted answers.

"Why didn't you say something?", she expected him to be shocked at her outburst, but he didn't even look surprised at her question as if he was expecting it sooner or later.

"Do you really think you would have believed me if I had told you that we were in danger of being hunted down by aliens? Aliens that tried to kill me and the rest of the world a few months back and were now coming back to finish the job?" he asked her sceptically.

"Honestly, I don't know. But everything else in my life has been so messed up so why not this as well", she answered back, feeling a little guilty when she saw Ross flinch at her harsh words.

"George, I apologise for not telling you sooner. After you told me about your parents I was tempted to but thought it would make it worse," he replied sadly.

"It's okay I understand but what has this got to do with my parents?" George asked hesitantly. Suddenly, she remembered what Ross had said about how he ended up leaving the army and everything fell into place.

"Wait, that day you were badly injured before you ran away, it wasn't in a normal fight, was it? You were fighting these creatures - the Sontarans - that's what they meant when they said, 'you won't escape us twice' and if that was the same day that my parents died then that means … the Sontarans killed my parents", George deducted from the bits and pieces of new information she had discovered over the past few days that now made more sense.

"Ross, what exactly happened that day?".

Thus, Ross explained everything to her: about how he used to work for U.N.I.T (Unified Intelligence Taskforce) who are responsible for defending the Earth from alien threats; about the day the Sontarans arrived on Earth and tried to poison the planet with their ATMOS systems and how he met the Doctor who saved the world as well as his life by destroying the Sontaran battleship and restoring the Earth's atmosphere.

"But why are the Sontarans still after you?", George questioned once Ross had finished his story.

"My guess is that they weren't happy about being defeated and are looking for any survivors who they can have a second shot at killing to earn back some respect from their superiors. I'm just one of many who they tried to kill but survived thanks to the Doctor; they did leave me with this though", Ross lifted the edge of his shirt up to reveal a nasty burns scar that stretched up his side, "Was in hospital for weeks with that and well, you know the what happened after".

George winced at the sight of his scar, "So now they are back to avenge their defeat and have tracked you down to kill you. Could you ask this Doctor for help again?" she questioned.

"Unfortunately, only a select few on Earth are allowed to know the whereabouts of the Doctor and even they are kept in the dark most of time, so it looks like we're on our own for now", he admitted sheepishly.

George adjusted her position on the floor to try to bring the circulation back into her hands that were tied up level with her head.

"Well if no-one else is around to help us then we'll have to come up with our own escape plan again" she replied with a smile and a flash of determination in her eyes.

* * *

 **A/N: I know it may seem George was quick to accept Ross' story about UNIT and aliens but she was kind of thrown into the deep-end. I never know what to write in these little notes anyways but just wanted to say I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Doctor Who, only my OC character George.**


	7. Chapter 7 - 'Take me to your leader'

**In Hiding**

 **Chapter 7 – 'Take me to your leader'**

* * *

 **Both POV**

Their escape planning session was soon interrupted by two Sontaran guards coming back to fetch them. The first guard approached the cage door while the second had a gun trained on the prisoners inside. The cage door swung open on its hinges as the first Sontaran walked over to George and Ross. He held a device close to their hands and pressed a button to release the metal shackles around them, freeing them from the bars they were chained up against.

"The prisoners will follow me, you have been summoned by High Command", the Sontaran instructed, he motioned with his gun for George and Ross to leave the cell.

"Great, take me to your leader", Ross replied while George just rolled her eyes at him.

"What? Always wanted to say it", he admitted. George was grateful for Ross' ever optimistic persona although she wondered how long he could keep up this façade in the face of the aliens who wanted to kill him.

They were filed out of the cell and positioned to walk between the two guards that were leading them through the maze of metal tunnels in the Sontarans' ship. As they walked Ross tried making a mental map in his head of the different doors and sections they were lead through should the opportunity to escape present itself later. However, after several minutes of twisting, turning corridors he became disorientated and had to give up.

The guards finally stopped in front of yet another blue panelled door but when it slid open with a hiss it revealed a command centre. In the middle of the room stood a large war table with a holographic map hovering above it showing the Earth from space; red blinking dots identified what must be their current location in orbit above it. Around the edge of the room were numerous computer screens flashing words in an unrecognisable language that sat next to multiple communications devices vaguely resembling radio transmitters. The room was also filled by a team of soldiers bustling around carrying out the orders of the only Sontaran in the room that wasn't wearing a helmet.

George and Ross were pushed up to where the Sontaran General was stood on a raised podium and were made to kneel on the floor while the guards pressed guns into their backs. The General finished barking orders at those on the war table then turned around to face them. Up close George could see the alien's skin was rough and had a jagged scar running through its left eye that curled down to its mouth, the whole effect looked rather fierce.

"General, these are the two prisoners you requested", one of the guards addressed him with a three-fingered salute as a mark of respect.

The General's beady eyes ran over George and Ross as if assessing the trophies he had just won from the latest battle.

"I am General Skarr of the mighty Eleventh Sontaran battlefleet and you are now at my mercy, humans", the General announced proudly. The two guards behind George and Ross stood to attention and saluted once more in honour of the battalion.

"Yeah, I've met you lot before", Ross retorted boldly, "And I seem to remember we defeated you last time". The General's eyes narrowed at the reminder of another platoons' defeat.

George who was knelt next to Ross leaned over to whisper a warning in his ear, "this is no time get cocky, they already know we don't have back-up".

"I see this human still has fighting spirit left in him", Skarr remarked, "You might prove useful before your execution U.N.I.T soldier, codename Greyhound 40."

A look of fear passed across the George's face at the mention of an execution, remembering she too was to be executed the last time the Sontarans caught her.

"Why him?", she asked defensively in need of answers, "Out of all the soldiers that were fighting that day why did you hunt down Ross?". She looked over to her friend to see him looking back at her puzzled, he'd never considered to ask about himself as he was used to being one of many soldiers, until the Doctor asked for his help.

"Sontarans do not answer to humans", the General did not sound pleased at having his authority challenged, "But unfortunately a prisoner is entitled to know the reason of his execution. This soldier is an ally of the Doctor, our greatest enemy, and is responsible for the deaths of the entire Tenth Sontaran Battlefleet. He stands accused of a war crime and will be sentenced to death".

Despite hearing Ross' own account of the fight for Earth with the Sontarans, George was still shocked by the confirmation of the deaths of a whole army knowing that Ross had helped to defeat them even if it was to defend the Earth. She had to keep reminding herself that he was a trained soldier and it was part of his job, although from what he had told her about why he ran away from U.N.I.T she knew he was no longer comfortable with it. She could see Ross' reaction to Skaar's words from the corner of eye her, all the reassuring confidence had drained from his face and he looked lost as the General spelt out his apparent crimes.

"However, as an ally of the Doctor you may prove useful in locating his whereabouts. Stark take him to the interrogation room!", the General demanded. Ross was hauled to his feet by the same Sontaran that had first found George in the woods. Before he could be dragged away George shot up and wrapped her arms around him.

"We will find a way out of here okay, just stay safe", she whispered. The second Sontaran guard pulled her away from Ross and grasped her arms tightly to prevent her moving. She watched on as Ross was marched out of the room with one last look behind him that conveyed a silent apology.

"As for the female take her back to the cells, she is to be executed as an accomplice once we have extracted enough information out of her friend", instructed the General. George was also marched out of the room, the guard keeping a firm grip on her until she was safely locked up behind bars.

…

 **George POV**

Twelve hours had passed since George had been separated from Ross by the general and she had been left alone ever since. She had not heard any news about Ross and was growing worried for his safety. The Sontaran General had ordered for his interrogation about the location of the Doctor, but George knew that he had no idea where the Doctor went after saving the Earth from ATMOS. She could only hope that the Sontarans believed that he could not give them any information and let him go. However, the brutal way they had been treated thus far suggested otherwise.

For the first time since leaving home, George wished that people were out trying to find her. Not that they would be able to reach them in space if the holographic map in the Command room was correct, she was still slightly in awe of the fact they weren't on Earth anymore.

George sat with her back against the far wall of the cell and her knees pulled up to her chest thinking of options for escape. She knew her only chance of slipping away would arise from being let out of the cage. As she was still chained up she could not reach the door lock meaning she would have to attract the attention of someone on the other side. There were two guards placed in the cell block patrolling up and down the cells; some were empty while others were not. A guard passed her cage roughly every ten minutes in each direction. That would be the best chance of catching their attention. She only had to wait a couple of minutes before a guard could be heard approaching her cell. As the guard came into view she recognised the markings on the chest-plate to be those of Stark; her earlier captor.

"Hey Stark!", she shouted with an air of authority, "I demand a last request".

Stark stopped patrolling just before he had reached the far side of her cell and walked back to face her.

"What is it, human", he grunted whilst removing his helmet for the first time. Like the general's face his was covered in battle scars from long fought wars. George briefly wondered how long they had been fighting for.

"The General said that all prisoners are entitled to know the reason for their imprisonment, so I'm asking for mine", she said trying to pluck up as much confidence in her voice as possible.

Stark was silent for a moment, his face screwed up in thought. George was half expecting her request to be ignored but she also hoped that the Sontarans had some respect for lawful conduct.

"Very well", Stark answered, "In accordance to the Shadow Proclamation I will take you to see my Commander".

Relieved that the first part of her plan had worked, George followed Stark as he lead her out of the cell and along a different set of corridors. She guessed that she was being lead into the bowels of the ship as the lift plummeted downwards and within no time she was being lead into another section. The layout looked similar to the other cell block except that this was a higher security prison. Solid metal doors with small slits at the top replaced the simpler barred cages; they also had reinforced hinges made to hold a much stronger set of prisoners.

At the end of the corridor was a normal looking door that lead into a small interrogation room. It was set up with a table in the centre and a single chair on either side. Stark ordered her to take a seat.

"Wait here while I locate the Commander", he said as he locked her handcuffs to the table then walked out, leaving the door open.

"If I only I didn't have these handcuffs on", George muttered to herself in disappointed. She could hear voices from down the corridor and fearing it was the Commander she sat up straight in an attempt to look calm. To her surprise the figures that walked into view were not the Commander and Stark but two other guards dragging a prisoner between them; it was Ross.

Torn between calling out and not wanting to attract attention she took a minute to assess his condition. Despite the Sontarans being a whole head shorter than him, Ross was leaning heavily on them for support. As they came nearer she could see how exhausted he looked and that his face was patterned with bruises.

George's chest constricted when she realised the Sontarans hadn't just been questioning him, they had been torturing him too. Anger swelled in her stomach as she remembered the scar they had left him with the first time he had met them. It only furthered her resolve to find a way to slip out but first she needed some answers of her own.

She heard more voices that she recognised as Stark and the Commander coming down the corridor. Ross' eyes flitted to his left to where the voices were then flicked back abruptly to her direction. Recognition dawned on his face, but it was too late; Stark and the Commander had already closed the door. The Commander took the seat opposite George whilst Stark stood guard by the door.

"I am the Commander Skorge of the Eleventh Sontaran battlefleet, but I believe we have already met", Skorge introduced himself.

"Yes, you were one of the Sontarans that attacked me in the woods. But how did you make me forget it?", she asked curious to know why she only remembered the encounter upon seeing them again.

"A simple knock to the head coupled with the human mind wanting to cover up what it can't explain is useful for temporary amnesia", Skorge explained simply.

"Now what is this final request you asked for?"

George shifted uncomfortably in her seat, she hadn't planned what she was going to do beyond slipping past the Sontarans and finding Ross. Since her first opportunity to slip away was hindered by the fact she was cuffed to a table she needed to come up with something else fast. She settled for asking questions on what the Sontarans planned to do with them.

"Firstly, I would like to know what you are doing to my friend then I would like to know what you're going to do to us after", she asked boldly, if they told her where Ross was it would make finding him easier.

"Ha, if you're trying to negotiate with us it won't work but I see no harm in answering your questions for now. Your slippery accomplice is being held in one of our high security cells until we finish extracting the necessary information out of him. As of yet he has not talked but they all talk in the end", Skorge's smile was dangerous. George knew that Ross was tough but she didn't know how long he would last under force.

"We have no need to question you about the Doctor, there is not a single trace of Artron energy on you. Once your friend has been dealt with you will be executed together and the Tenth Sontaran empire will be glorious once more". Skorge finished explaining his plans with a look of triumph on his face.

"What's artron energy and what does it have to do with knowing the Doctor?", George asked temporarily distracted from her main question.

"Primitive human science", Skorge sighed in annoyance "Artron energy is a form of radiation found in the Space-Time Vortex. Anyone that has travelled in the TARDIS with the Doctor will have traces still on them. The U.N.I.T soldier has a very small amount of residual radiation on him but we found nothing on you".

"So that means Ross has travelled in space before", George responded in disbelief; she had a lot more questions to ask Ross when she saw him next. Her attention was brought back to Skorge who had grown tired of her questions.

"Enough questions girl, you are lucky we did not execute you straight away. Stark, take her back to her cell and there will be no more contact do you understand", Commander Skorge ordered.

"Yes Commander", Stark replied.

The Commander nodded and left the room leaving Stark to unlock George from the table. Stark turned his back to her as he lead her out of the room and George noticed a hole in the back of his armour just below his neck that appeared to go all the way through the metal. As she tried to work out the purpose of the hole an image of the night in the barn flashed into her head. While she had distracted the Commander, Ross had landed a roundhouse kick to the back of Stark's suit that had caused him to crumple to the floor. She wondered if somehow the hole on the back of the Sontaran's neck was a weak point and she could use it to her advantage.

She looked around the corridor for any sort of weapon she could reach for but saw nothing to hand. Whilst she was not adept at martial arts, George calculated that she could probably reach the hole with her foot as it was level with her chest, although she would only get one shot at it. Deciding it was now or never George hung back for a couple steps to provide enough room then swung her leg up and aimed for Stark's neck. As she had hoped the Sontaran crumpled flat on his front and not waiting to see if he would stay down, George sprinted away from the scene.

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with Doctor Who, only my OC character George.**

 **A/N: The interior of the Sontaran ship is based on what it looked like during the Sontaran Stratagem and the Poison Sky episodes; it's not as cool as the Avenger's Heli-carrier I know, but the Sontarans don't really seem too bothered about style.**

 **If you're wondering when Ross travelled in the TARDIS before, in this AU version the Doctor comes to rescue him after he's been shot by the Sontarans and transports him to safety in the TARDIS.**


	8. Chapter 8 - Reunited

**In Hiding**

 **Chapter 8 - Reunited**

* * *

 **George's POV**

As soon as her guard had dropped face-first on the floor, George had run back down the corridor to the lift shaft. She tried to recreate the steps they had taken from her original cell to get back to the same level as the Command Room. Her plan was to send out an intergalactic version of a mayday call and hope that someone friendly was listening. Then she would work her way down to Ross and wait for help to come. Unfortunately, her plans had now been made harder by the alarm system alerting all Sontarans that she had escaped.

The lift doors pinged open to reveal the floor with the Command Room at the opposite end. George dashed out of the lift to hide behind an outcropped wall panel. Three Sontaran soldiers armed with guns walked past and entered the lift. George held her breath until they had passed then crept along the corridor; having to duck behind more walls whenever Sontarans appeared.

At the end of the corridor she could see the entrance to the Command Room, it was a hive of activity with soldiers marching in and out. Through the open door she saw General Skarr giving orders to his men, presumably sending them in search of her. George concluded it would be too difficult to attempt to send a distress call from in there as she would be caught straight away.

Out of the corner of her eye a blinking light caught her attention. It was situated in a metal cage above another door panel on the wall opposite her. The room seemed to be unguarded and no-one had entered or exited in the five minutes she had been stood there. She decided it was worth a look inside and when the corridor cleared she crossed to the door.

George formed her hand into three distinct segments and placed it on the door panel lock like she had seen the Stark do before. Her trick worked, and the door slid open. She quickly dashed into the room and shut the door.

She looked around the small cupboard-like space, it was lined with computer towers and electronic panels. She guessed it was a secondary power unit for the main Command Room. George hurriedly looked around for anything resembling a radio to call for help. She recognised a round circle covered in mesh as a speaker with an array of buttons around it. She pressed the largest button and a crackle came out; it sounded like the static heard from a wireless radio. Not seeing anything else in the room that looked like a radio George decided that was her best opportunity so clicked the radio on once more.

"Hello? This is a mayday call", George started, unsure of what to say next, "My friend and I are trapped on a Sontaran ship somewhere above Earth. Please send help immediately, they mean to kill us!". The radio clicked off to end her message. Luckily the message didn't seem to have transmitted throughout the whole ship but there was no sign that anyone had received her message either. George had no idea who she expected to respond, maybe if U.N.I.T were listening they could help, although she doubted Ross would be pleased to see them again.

With her distress call made the next part of her plan was to get back down to the high security cells and find Ross again.

…

 **Ross' POV**

Alarms blared through Ross' already pounding head. The Sontaran's version of interrogation had involved more physical methods than verbal. Especially after he insisted that he didn't know the whereabouts of the Doctor. Of course, denying everything never worked and the Sontarans seemed determined to get the information out of him whether he knew it or not.

During his time at U.N.I.T he had been trained to deal with hostage and interrogation situations, but it was harder to put into practice during the real thing. His mind kept drifting to George and how she was only being held prisoner here because of a chance meeting in the woods. The only thing that he focused on while the Sontarans kept pushing him was that he needed to get them both out of there. In his current state, covered in bruises with a possible fractured rib, he knew he wouldn't be able to take down the aliens single-handedly by force, any attempt to escape would require stealth.

Over the top of the alarms Ross could hear the guards discussing the discovery of an unconscious soldier and an escaped prisoner. From the description Ross could easily guess that the missing prisoner was George. He smiled at the thought and hoped that she had found a way to escape. If he was honest he wasn't sure if he would see her again, she had already left her whole life behind once to start over so why wouldn't she do it again with someone she barely knew? But deep down he wanted to at least be able to say goodbye to his new friend.

(30 minutes later)

As it turned out he didn't have to wait long to find out if George would come back for him. Half an hour after the sirens first sounded he could hear feet pounding down the corridor outside as if someone was in full sprint. As the person rounded the corner they came into view of the slit on his cell door.

"George!", he called out as he recognised her, "I'm in the cell right in front of you".

George stopped in her tracks and spun around on the spot. She walked towards his door and her blue eyes appeared through the slit. He heard her sharp intake of breath when she spied him in the cell and he gave her a tired wave. The door hissed open and she quickly stepped inside the cell. Once they were secure Ross was enveloped in a bone-crushing hug by George.

"Hey, it's good to see you too but go easy on my ribs, yeah?", he said with a half-hearted laugh as the pressure of George of against him put strain on his cracked rib.

"Oh my gosh, I didn't mean to hurt you, I'm sorry", George apologised, immediately shying away.

"Don't worry, I'm just a bit sore. I think the Sontarans did some damage", he replied indicating the bruises on his face, "Anyway how did you get in here?"

George then explained to him how she had taken down her guard after remembering how he kicked Stark in the back of the neck. Then she explained about finding a secondary computer room and sending out a distress signal before finding her way back to him.

Ross had to admit he was impressed with how she had freed herself and her ability to think on her feet, especially the trick with the doors. But there was still one thing on his mind he needed confirming.

"You came back for me", he stated simply, "I wasn't sure if you would be able to". Ross found he could not meet her eyes as he awaited her answer, he felt almost ashamed at having spoken what was on his mind.

"Of course I came back for you. You helped me in the woods without expecting anything back. I owed you for saving my life before but also you're my friend and I couldn't just abandon you here", she explained sincerely. Relief flooded through Ross that she didn't blame him for getting her in this situation.

"Thank you", he replied finally meeting her eyes with a smile, "But no more getting ourselves into life-threatening situations, we're even now okay?"

"Let's just get out of here first before we go making any promises", responded George who returned his smile.

"I don't suppose you met any friendly aliens at U.N.I.T that would come and rescue us?" George enquired, only half-joking.

"Well, I have met plenty of aliens, they came through the rift all the time lost on their space-travels. Unfortunately, most of them were either not friendly or not interested in helping the inhabitants of Earth", Ross confessed, feeling bad at the brief flicker of disappointment in George's eyes.

"And the only one that did want to help Earth was-".

"The Doctor, who is now unaccounted for", George finished for him. Ross nodded in acknowledgement. The disappointment on George's face became more upbeat again as she said with a laugh, "We'll just have to wait and see who turns up then".

Ross wasn't stupid, he could see that George was using the same tactics he had used on her the first time they were captured by the Sontarans. To pretend that everything would be alright and that they would get out of there alive. Although George had proved to him that she could stay calm in the face of danger and when the time came to leave the ship he knew he could trust her to fight alongside him.

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Doctor Who, only my OC character George.**

 **A/N: Couldn't keep these two apart for too long without them planning another escape.**


	9. Chapter 9 - Where my demons hide

**In Hiding**

 **Chapter 9 – Where my demons hide**

* * *

 **Ross POV**

Ross' relief from finding George again was short-lived. Suspense now filled his aching body as they continued to play this waiting game to discover if George's distress call had worked. Despite his initial optimistic outlook in front of George, he knew there was a slim chance of rescue by the right people. As much as he hated to admit it, Ross knew that if anyone on Earth was listening out for alien radio broadcasts it would be U.N.I.T and if they got hold of the pair of them it could only end badly.

The past six months he had been running from the U.N.I.T hospital he had done everything he could to avoid being recaptured by them. Knowing that if they ever caught up then a military trial could await him to determine the consequences of his actions. He had no desire to explain to the top brass of U.N.I.T why he no longer believed in guns, fighting or war considering it would mean revealing the state of his thoughts during the time spent in hospital. No-one deserved to be privy to that information especially not the people who were partially responsible in the first place.

It had now been an hour since George had broken free and come to find him and they were still no closer to knowing if help was on its way. After an initial catch up between the two of them about any potential rescuers they had fallen into a silence full of anticipation. Ross looked over to where George was sat cross-legged by the cell door. Her back was turned to him as she watched through the narrow slit, moving back every time a guard walked past. The Sontarans weren't stupid and Ross knew that they would eventually guess where George had run to and come knocking on his cell door. But for now, he was content to sit and recover his strength as George kept watch. She shied away from the door again as a larger group of guards walked past.

"You'd think with their strategical knowledge and thinking that they would have worked out by now that I came back for you", she said turning back around to face him with a puzzled frown. Ross was brought out of his thoughts and raised his head to look at her.

"That's because their strategies don't account for things like friendship, but I wouldn't hold your breath, they'll work it out", he replied, and George frowned. Even to his own ears Ross knew he sounded tired and defeated but the severity of his injuries had caught up with him after hours of waiting. As much as he was trying not to, his carefully crafted optimism was slowly crumbling under George's concerned gaze. She had moved away from the door and was now knelt by where he was sat against the wall with his head leaning back against it.

"Ross, how badly are you hurt? And don't try and play it off this time", she questioned him, eyebrows raised. Ross closed his eyes and sighed at her uncanny ability to see through his mask.

"It really is only a broken rib, it's just the last time I was injured like this also happened to be thanks to the Sontarans and I really didn't need a reminder", he confessed with a wry smile.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to bring it up again", George acknowledged crossing her legs underneath her again, "After my parents died almost everything reminded me of them and the hurt would come back as if it had just happened. What the Sontarans did to you was wrong and they made a terrible mistake because this time you've got me as well and I'm not going to let you give up. This time we will be running away for the right reasons".

Sometime during George's declaration Ross had reached out for her hand to anchor himself completely to what she was saying and not get drawn into the past. Her words of encouragement had filled him with a new determination and he wondered what had lead to a woman with such fight and courage in her to also run away into the woods. Instead of withdrawing her hand like Ross had expected her to when she had stopped talking, George intertwined their fingers seeming to need the reassurance just as much as him.

And that is how the Doctor and Donna found them when they burst through the cell door in answer to their distress call.

* * *

 **A/N: Yeah, sorry got a bit dark in the middle of that chapter but just wanted it to feel realistic. This story is partly meant to illustrate the natural ups and downs we go through after something huge and bad happens to us. Being tortured by the Sontarans is definitely going to bring on a low for my characters.**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Doctor Who, only my OC character George. (May have borrowed the title line from an Imagine Dragons song).**


	10. Chapter 10 - The Doctor

**In Hiding**

 **Chapter 10 – The Doctor**

* * *

 **George POV**

Out of nowhere the sound of the alarms was cut off and in the silence that followed all George could hear was the ringing in her ears. Turning off the alarms could mean one of two things, either the Sontarans knew where to find her or that help had finally arrived, George hoped for their sake it was the latter. She looked over to Ross and raised an eyebrow, but he just shrugged in response none the wiser as to why the alarms had stopped.

Without warning the door to the cell burst open to reveal two very unexpected visitors. Instead of Sontaran soldiers with guns, George took in the sight of two other humans. The woman had long ginger hair that flowed over the shoulders of her brown leather jacket and a kind face that wore an expression of disbelief on it. The man was at least a foot taller, an effect that was amplified by the long brown coat concealing a pin-striped blue suit underneath. His face was harder to read than his companion's, but George didn't miss the way his eyes flicked back to double take Ross as if he recognised him.

"Doctor? Donna? I didn't think I'd see you again", Ross spoke from next to her. He moved away from leaning against the wall and slowly stood up to face the two newcomers. Any trace of pain that had been on his face earlier had now been replaced by a look of surprise.

The Doctor held out his hand and motioned for the two to come forward.

"Come with me, quickly", he said. George noted the edge of urgency is his voice that radiated quiet authority without really asking for it. He didn't look like a typical soldier, but the way Ross had described how he defeated the Sontarans last time demonstrated how dangerous the man could be without even picking up a gun. George wasn't sure whether to be scared or impressed.

Ross however seemed to trust the Doctor as he immediately stepped forward to follow him out the door but sensing George's hesitation he turned around to face her.

"George, this is the man I was telling you about – the Doctor – it's alright we can trust them", Ross explained hurriedly, George knew he was eager to get going. She had already placed her blind trust in one stranger this week and it looked like she would have to trust another to get her out of this mess. However, she had very quickly come to trust the former enough to know when his instincts were correct and if Ross trusted the Doctor then she would have to as well.

George took Ross' outstretched hand and let him lead her out of the room after the Doctor and Donna. They took off at a brisk pace down the corridor until forced to slow down when Ross could no longer keep up and had to be supported between Donna and George, the effort of running becoming too painful.

George was puzzled by the lack of Sontarans they encountered on their journey through the ship, it was as if the place had been deserted. She had been expecting to put up a fight against soldiers trying to stop them, but no one did. The Doctor ran up ahead and disappeared around the next corner.

"There you are", he exclaimed from out of view, "Donna! We need to go before they change their minds, the TARDIS is just round here". In response to the Doctor's instruction, the three of them increased their pace and once they had rounded the corner George saw what she assumed the Doctor had meant by 'The TARDIS'. A large box was stood at the far end of the corridor, its blue form reached almost from floor to ceiling, the light at the top only centimetres from scraping the roof. As they drew closer the grain of the worn wooden panels was visible and the writing above the doors became clearer.

"Police public call box?" she whispered as she read the bold black lettering.

"Yeah, don't ask him about it unless you want a long-winded explanation about a chameleon or something", Donna replied with a fond laugh, leaving George even more curious about the box. The Doctor had already pushed through the front doors and was leaning around them waiting. The box looked no bigger than a couple metres wide and George wasn't sure they'd all fit in a space that small. Donna and Ross hadn't seemed to notice this problem as they also stepped over the threshold and disappeared to what George assumed was the back corners of the box. Looking over her shoulder one last time to check they weren't being followed, George entered the TARDIS and closed the panel door behind her.

"Um Doctor, how is hiding in a wooden box going to help us escape from here?", she asked tentatively, not wanting to sound ungrateful at their rescue. She turned her back to the doors expecting to be face to face with the others but instead was left feeling like she had just stepped through the wardrobe into Narnia.

"Oh my - wow", George took in the magnificent sight before her. A metal gangway lead down to an ornate cylindrical column that was the centre piece of a room the size of which should not normally fit into a 2x2m wooden box. The curved walls were studded with round holes and were supported by tall twisting columns, the whole effect produced a magical golden glow around the whole room. It was the centre console that really caught George's attention as she wandered over to where the Doctor was busy flicking switches. The whole console was crammed with multiple gadgets and dials that whirled and bleeped into one confusing yet fascinating assembly of parts.

"So, you must be the person that sent out the distress signal judging from the vocal recognition pattern the TARDIS just picked up", the Doctor addressed George, breaking her train of thoughts.

"Yeah, I managed to find a computer room with a radio and thought it would be our best shot", George answered truthfully.

"Well I think you just saved yours and Ross' lives …" the Doctor paused realising he hadn't even asked who she was, "Sorry, I seem to have forgotten to ask your name?".

"I was wondering when you were getting to the introductions, spaceman", Donna interrupted raising her eyebrows in mock disapproval.

"Yeah, alright. I was busy sorting stuff out", he replied, vaguely waving his hands in the direction of the TARDIS console, "Anyway as Ross has already pointed out I'm the Doctor and this is my friend Donna Noble". Donna gave George a wave which she returned.

"Hey, I'm George, Ross and I met a few days ago and stuck together after deciding we could do with each other's help", George clarified then looked over to where Ross was sat on an old battered yellow seat. He seemed to read the uncertainty on her face about how much to reveal about why they had both met in the woods. Ross walked over to where the other three were grouped around the console and stood by George's side.

"I found George tied up in the woods and it looked like she had been attacked, so I treated her injuries and said she could stay until her head was better. It turned out the people who had attacked her were Sontarans. Two of their soldiers came back for us the following night and that's when they took us prisoner onboard their ship", Ross explained hoping the Doctor would want to focus on their unprovoked alien attack instead of why they were both in the woods.

"The Sontarans just attacked you out of nowhere?" Donna asked George with a puzzled look on her face.

"Yeah, they forced me to run away from my campsite when I heard footsteps, then when they caught up with me they tied me up and started asking questions. Said they were looking for someone and when they realised it wasn't me, they knocked me out and let me go", George told her.

"it's lucky you ran into a soldier like Ross then who had met Sontarans before", said Donna giving Ross a gentle squeeze on his shoulder; if only she knew that Ross had been the one they were after.

"Yes, that is a lucky coincidence", the Doctor agreed but George could detect a hint of suspicion in his voice. The look he was giving Ross suggested he knew they weren't telling him the whole truth yet. To his credit, Ross was doing his best to act as if he didn't know the Doctor was onto them as he swiftly changed the subject.

"So Doctor, how did you manage to persuade them to let us go?", he asked.

"Ah just a gentle reminder that Earth is a Level 5 planet and they were breaking Article 15 of the Shadow Proclamation, you know the basic but important 'Murder is not a rule of war'. And since the Sontarans are always fighting one war or another, any execution they carry out on civilians breaks intergalactic law", the Doctor described at speed, brushing it off as if it was nothing special.

"After the Doctor's brilliant threat of intergalactic imprisonment, they weren't too keen to hang onto you both", Donna stated with a smirk, "You should have seen their faces". George couldn't help but smile at the thought of General Skarr's smug face realising he had been outdone by the Doctor again.

"Thank you Doctor for saving my life and for saving George's", Ross said, turning the conversation serious again, "I'll make sure it's worth it this time".

"No. You don't need to prove anything", responded the Doctor who was staring at Ross like they were having a silent conversation. Eventually Ross broke his gaze and looked away, George hated seeing him so defenceless instead of his usual charming self. She brushed the back of her hand against his to remind him she was still stood at his side.

"Donna, why don't you take George on a tour of the TARDIS. I just need to treat Ross' injuries then we'll come and join you", said the Doctor to break the sombre mood that had descended.

"Great idea, I'm sure you'll both appreciate some food after being locked up on that ship", Donna suggested.

"Sure, I'd love to see more of the TARDIS", George agreed, after being provided with very little home comforts whilst being in the cell, the prospect of finding food and a shower sounded great. As she followed Donna down a staircase on the opposite side to the doors that lead to the greater interior of the TARDIS, she couldn't help but think that her and Ross had been split up for a reason.

…

 **Ross POV**

Ross watched Donna lead George away down the stairs then sat back on the yellow sofa, awaiting the Doctor's questioning he could sense was coming. He trained his eyes on the Doctor who was reading something on the screen through his black-framed glasses, his face deep in concentration. When the others' voices could no longer be heard down the corridor the Doctor stopped his reading and slid the screen along its rail to face Ross.

"I've done a full assessment of your injuries; your rib should take 4-6 weeks to heal and the rest of the cuts and bruises should take less than a week. I can give you some pain relief from the TARDIS' med-bay later", the Doctor explained as a scan of Ross' skeleton lit up on the screen, "However, they are not the only problems you have, are they?".

The Doctor tapped an icon on the screen and the picture of the medical scan changed to a picture of him and George both filed as missing person cases on a U.N.I.T and police database.

"I suppose you want me to tell you everything", Ross sighed at the Doctor's discovery.

"I'm sorry to ask but what happened after I picked you up in the TARDIS and left you with Martha?", the Doctor asked, his eyes grave as he addressed Ross with his hands shoved deep into his coat pockets.

"Martha took me to the U.N.I.T hospital to get the burn on my side treated, after a skin-graft they kept me there for a couple of weeks while it healed. Due to the near-death experience by warmongering aliens I also went through some bad periods during my stay in hospital and concluded that I couldn't be the soldier U.N.I.T wanted me to be anymore.", Ross told the Doctor as he began his story, "You showed me that helping people can be achieved without picking up a gun. I'd played around with guns for long enough and it nearly cost me my life. I told U.N.I.T I wanted to leave but they wouldn't let me, so I discharged myself and disappeared." Like the time George had explained to him about how her parents had died, Ross also found himself talking to a spot on the floor, unable to meet the Doctor's eyes for fear of judgement.

"And you've been running away ever since, under the constant shadow of U.N.I.T catching up and arresting you with a dishonourable discharge for leaving without permission?", the Doctor guessed, his tone mildly shocked.

"For the last six months I've not stayed in the same place more than a couple days, until I bumped into George. She told me her parents had died because of the ATMOS car systems and had left home behind. I offered to help her at first because I still feel guilty about what happened, then we needed each other's help so stayed together", Ross summarised.

Finally looking up at the Doctor he found it hard to read the Timelord's expression. Ross knew the Doctor of all people would understand how it felt to live when so many others had died but he also knew that the Doctor didn't give away second chances easily. Ross hadn't technically broken any rules, U.N.I.T members had the freedom to discharge themselves after serving the minimum 5 years. However, leaving without proper approval was frowned upon as was failing to fill out the correct resignation paperwork. As Ross had done his best to completely fall of their radar U.N.I.T would be keen to question him about his suspicious absence.

"Do you know why I let you help me that day?"

"No, why?", the Doctor's question caught Ross off-guard.

"The first time I met you, I could see you were easily one of their best soldiers; you're loyal and resourceful. But I could also see a young man who just wanted to help people and unlike most of your co-workers you tended ask questions first before pointing a gun", the Doctor said carefully, "if anyone should be feeling guilty about what transpired during the Sontaran attack it's me, not you. You defended what was right until the very end and helped save so many people".

The emotion behind the Doctor's words was almost overwhelming and Ross felt some of his layers of pain start to slip away. How could the Doctor, a man respected throughout the universe as a saviour of planets care about this one world so much when all it does is fight against each other? Yet the look of quiet admiration the Doctor was giving him clearly confirmed that he did.

Always trying to lighten the mood, Ross gave the Doctor a thankful smile, "Does this mean you won't be handing me or George back over to U.N.I.T?".

"Not if I can help it", replied the Doctor with a mischievous grin.

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with Doctor Who, only my OC George.**

 **A/N: Thank you for the reviews, I hope this chapter explains enough about how the Doctor and Donna came to rescue them. The scientist in me loved describing the TARDIS in this chapter but I had to do some research into the Shadow Proclamation and U.N.I.T to make sure it all made sense so hopefully it does.**


	11. Chapter 11 - Fight or Flight

**In Hiding**

 **Chapter 11 - Fight or Flight**

* * *

 **George's POV**

Over the past hour Donna had given her a tour of most of the important rooms in the TARDIS including the vast library and an unexpected swimming pool. George was enthralled by the way more rooms seemed to appear out of nowhere whenever they turned down another corridor, but no matter how far they strayed from the console room, Donna always seemed to be able to lead them back to somewhere familiar within five minutes. After a quick shower and a change of clothes from the TARDIS' extensive wardrobe, George was feeling more like herself again as she joined Donna in the kitchen looking forward to eating all the meals she had missed out on since arriving on the Sontaran ship.

As she helped Donna to prepare a full English breakfast for the four of them she decided to find out more about Donna and how she had come to be with the Doctor.

"How did you first meet the Doctor?" George enquired whilst arranging bacon into a frying pan.

"It's a funny story actually", Donna started, "There I was walking down the aisle on my wedding day when suddenly this yellow glowing light appeared all around me. Next thing I knew the church had disappeared and I was standing inside a strange round room with a strange man in the middle of it called the Doctor." Donna smiled fondly at the memory of her first encounter with the Doctor and the hilarious look on his surprised face when she just appeared out of nowhere in his TARDIS.

"What happened next?"

"Well it turned out my fiancé was secretly helping this giant alien spider to colonise London with her children. In the end I helped the Doctor to stop them and then he dropped me off home, just like that and expected me to carry on as normal. Then about a year later we bumped into each other again and he asked me to travel with him".

"That sounds amazing", George said with a smile, "What were the chances of you two meeting each other again? I've learnt enough about the Doctor to know it can't just be a coincidence". George had finished frying the bacon and was now working through the eggs Donna was cracking for her.

"Yeah I couldn't believe my luck when we were both investigating the same dodgy company. He's taken me to some wonderful planets, things I would never have imagined existed if it weren't for him", Donna suddenly went quiet, "Still no-one knows how long something this good can last".

" _I know what you mean",_ George thought but instead she gave Donna a smile that she hoped would convey that she understood how it felt and was pleased to see Donna return a small smile of her own.

"Anyway, enough about me. How did you meet our friend Ross in the woods?"

"Yes, what _were_ you doing in the woods?" the Doctor echoed Donna's question. George spun around to see that the Doctor had now entered the kitchen with Ross following shortly after. Ross looked like his mood had improved since earlier and he gave her a wink as if reading her mind to confirm that he was alright. She guessed that he had told the Doctor everything that had happened with U.N.I.T and the Sontarans and she was pleased that he could finally get it all off his chest.

She felt two pairs of eyes turn to her as they expected an answer to the question, only Ross had his attention focused elsewhere having heard the full story before. He walked over to where George was still stood by the oven and offered to take over from preparing the breakfast.

"It's okay to tell them what you want, we're not in any trouble", he whispered in her ear on his way past. George gave his arm a thankful squeeze before pulling away and sitting to face the Doctor and Donna at the breakfast bar. She had already told them how Ross had found her in the woods and she had no doubt that he had already told the Doctor what occurred on the Sontaran ship, so George decided to come clean and start with why she was in the woods in the first place.

"Three days before I met Ross in the woods, I'd packed up and left home for good, not wanting to spend another minute in the place that constantly reminded me of my failure to save my parents. They died when the ATMOS system in our car malfunctioned and filled it with toxic fumes. For months everyone including myself blamed me for not rescuing them in time and I couldn't bear it any longer. Each day after I left I ran further into the forest to increase the chance of not being found. I wanted to start over somewhere new where people didn't know who I was, but that was cut short when I was attacked and well, you know the rest from there". George finished her story, bringing them up to speed with the events before the first Sontaran attack. She realised she had revealed more than she had initially said to Ross and she could see he had one ear trained towards her despite his back being turned as he finished off the breakfast. George returned her gaze back to the two people sat opposite her.

"But what about your family, surely they're going to be worried about you?" Donna asked, voice full of concern.

"Actually, most of them blame me as well, even if they don't openly say it. They all stayed inside when the attack happened so didn't know that the cars were impossible to open. When the police phoned them to explain what had happened to Mum and Dad, they assumed that I hadn't tried my best to help", she admitted, her voice growing smaller as the feeling of helplessness washed over her again. Ross came over balancing four plates and placed them down on the table, though no-one had much of an appetite anymore. He plonked himself down on a stool next to George and pulled her in for a sideways hug.

"Those cars were deadlock sealed, even the sonic screwdriver struggled to open the doors", the Doctor apologised, "I know it's not much consolation but someone on Earth filed a Missing Person's report into the police database, is there anyone else left at home for you?".

George shifted from where her head had been resting on Ross' shoulder so she could look at the Doctor properly.

"My Nan, she lived with my parents when she couldn't look after herself at home anymore. She was the only one who believed me because she was watching what happened from the living room window", George said hopefully, unable to believe she had forgotten about her in the mess of the last week.

"Maybe you could give her call, let her know you're alright", Donna suggested, "The Doctor can do this special trick with your phone to get a signal anywhere, it's brilliant although the phone bill is a _tad_ high".

"Thanks", George laughed, "But my phone was left behind when we were kidnapped".

Donna rummaged around in the pockets of her leather jacket and produced a silver Nokia flip phone, "Here you can use mine", she said handing it over.

"Thank you, Donna. I won't be too long", said George gratefully. She got up from the table and walked out of the doorway, balancing the phone in one hand and the plate of food in the other to eat as she talked.

Ross grinned as he shook his head at her, "To be fair we were deprived of food during our capture". The others joined in his laughter.

* * *

 **A/N: Everyone has those dreams right, or is it just me? You know, the ones where you're being chased through a building or down a road by something invisible, but you know it's there, only to find your legs have turned to lead and you can't run fast enough. Then you jolt awake and realise you're still lying in your bed, waiting to start a new day and if you're lucky a new adventure. Whether George or Ross' situation is relatable or not, everyone has that instinct to just run away when things get difficult but its whether you choose to fight or flight that counts. But sometimes, like I tried to show with my characters, it's not always easy to choose.**

 **(I know this chapter is a bit shorter but the next one is pretty long, it's just how the events ended up playing out).**


	12. Chapter 12 - Family Visit

**In Hiding**

 **Chapter 12: - Family Visit**

* * *

 **A/N: This chapter is pretty long to make up for the previous short ones.**

 **George's POV**

The conversation George had had with her Nan was dramatic to say the least. The first five minutes were spent with her Nan frantically shouting down the phone about; the amount of stress George had put her through, the police enquiries, phone calls from other relatives and worrying about whether she was alright.

After George had apologised profusely for third time she managed to reassure her Nan that she was with friends who were looking after her. She also briefly explained why she had left home but left out the events involving the Sontarans in case her Nan thought she had really gone mad this time. The call ended with her Nan trying to sweet-talk her into coming back home. George promised she would try to visit soon but wasn't sure if she would stay permanently.

Ten minutes later she found herself standing in the TARDIS console room trying to convince the Doctor to take her back home.

"It will only be for a short visit", George explained, "Just to reassure my Nan that I'm alright so she can call off the police, then I'll come back to help you again. You three wouldn't even have to leave the TARDIS and could keep your cover".

The Doctor gave her a sceptical look. "Let's say I did drop you home, U.N.I.T would immediately detect the TARDIS' presence and dispatch a team to the house", he reasoned.

George deflated, the last thing she wanted to do was put Ross in danger but if she didn't talk to her Nan then it could lead to further trouble with the police if they continued to assume she was still missing or had been taken.

"You know George has got a good point, Doctor. If we help her come up with a cover story for where she's been it will free her of the shadow of the police to go wherever she likes", Donna agreed.

"Half an hour or so won't hurt Doctor", Ross offered turning to George, "If you want to visit your Nan don't let me stop you, in fact I'd like to help you". Ross reached out to squeeze her hand briefly before letting go, she was glad she could still count on Ross' support.

The Doctor's face took on a serious expression and for a moment George thought he would say no. Donna gave him an encouraging nod before his face broke out into a grin.

"Okay I give in, I'll take you home but _only_ if you promise not to mention the Sontarans or anything else alien, and at the first sign of trouble we'll leave", the Doctor stated receiving a hug from George.

"Thank you, Doctor!"

The Doctor then plotted the course for the address George gave him and flicked a series of levers. The TARDIS began to shake as a whirring noise was emitted from the central column as it rose. George held onto the metal railings as she made her way over to Ross who was looking far too excited about being thrown around the TARDIS as it travelled.

"Thank you for offering to help", George told him, she had to raise her voice slightly over the noise of the engines.

"Hey, it's no problem. How are you feeling about seeing her again?", he asked with a trace of concern in his blue eyes.

"I'm feeling a bit nervous, I caused her with so much pain when I left. I'm worried what she'll think of me", she said, her tone downcast.

"I'm sure she will be glad to see for herself that you are safe, George", Ross replied, "You're lucky you've got me as my super persuasion skills will ensure she believes the cover story we made up".

George raised an eyebrow at him but couldn't supress the laugh that he always managed to tease out of her. Suddenly the TARDIS lurched to a halt and the engine noises ceased.

"Here we are", the Doctor exclaimed walking over to the doors, "We've landed".

George followed Donna and Ross over to the door and was amazed to see that opposite the panelled doors of the Doctor's ship stood her parents' house. It was a semi-detached sandstone building with a small patch of garden out the front. Her Nan normally kept it neat and tidy, but she could tell the grass needed cutting and the flowerbeds needed weeding. Guilt flooded her as she realised the extent of what she had put her Nan through.

She walked across the street and up to the front door where she flapped the little metal door-knocker three times. It took a couple of minutes before movement could be seen through the frosted glass and the front door opened. She heard her Nan's breath catch as she saw her stood on the doorstep. George gave her an apologetic smile and her eyes fell to the floor. Before she knew what was happening her Nan had enveloped her into a tight embrace. When her Nan pulled back there was a flash of anger in her eyes.

"How dare you run away like that Missus! You may be 20 but that doesn't mean you can just do whatever you feel like. I've been worried sick, the police have been round and – ", George looked up as her Nan stopped mid-rant when she eyed the three strangers stood behind her granddaughter. George followed her Nan's gaze to the Doctor, Donna and Ross who had all agreed to play a part in her cover story.

"Nan, these are my friends who have been looking out for me while I've been away. This is the Doctor, Donna and Ross", George pointed to each in turn.

"Hello!"

"I love your garden"

"Nice to meet you ma'am"

Her Nan's eyes went wide for a second before she narrowed them at George again

"George why didn't you tell me we were expecting visitors", she whispered, "Please come through to the lounge and I will make us some tea".

George watched her Nan walk through to the kitchen and felt a warm feeling of affection for the woman who had stood by her these past six months. She lead the others into the living room and they arranged themselves on the sofa and chairs.

"Your Nan is great", Ross laughed as he sat down next to George on the sofa, "I thought she was going to stand there and tell you off all day".

"She still thinks I'm about 12", George sighed, she had to elbow Ross' arm to get him to stop laughing.

"She reminds me of Mum when she first met you, Doctor", Donna smirked at the memory.

"Yeeaaah, I don't really get off on the right foot with relatives", the Doctor drew out a breath.

George's Nan chose that moment to walk back in the room, carrying a tray of tea and biscuits. George shot up to help her but was beaten by Ross.

"Thank you, dear", her Nan said with a twinkle in her eye, "George, is this young man your boyfriend?".

Both Ross and George immediately blushed at her Nan's forward question, she heard Donna try to cover up a chuckle by shoving a biscuit in her mouth.

"Nan, Ross is my … err … friend who I've been travelling with for a bit", George managed to sputter out once she had recovered.

"Oooh I see", her Nan replied but the mischievous look in her eyes was still there.

"Now I have been introduced to your new friends George, would you please tell me where you've been?", her Nan's voice was full of worry, so George decided to be as honest as possible.

"I just had to get away for a while, Nan. After what happened to Mum and Dad you know what the rest of the family think of me. I wanted to go somewhere no-one knew me, so I could start again and not be in a place that reminds me of them".

"Did you ever think about coming back? Where did you go?", her Nan quizzed.

"I ended up camping in the woods for a couple of nights and that's where I met Ross", she replied avoiding the first part of the question.

"Yeah, I bumped into George in the woods, she had got into a bit of trouble and was lost so I offered to help her get to where she wanted to go", Ross picked up easily.

"Does that trouble have something to do with the cut on your head?", her Nan interrupted. George reached up to touch the nearly healed cut on her head that she thought was hidden by her hair.

"Oh that? It's nothing really, I just tripped over a hidden tree root and hit it on a rock. Ross helped to patch it up". Her Nan seemed to believe her explanation of how she had acquired her injury as her shoulders visibly relaxed, she just hoped her Nan wouldn't start asking questions as to why Ross also had fading bruises on his face from the Sontarans.

"Now, how do your other two friends come into it?". She motioned over to the Doctor and Donna who had both stayed unusually quiet during the exchange.

Donna and the Doctor looked at each other before the Doctor launched into his part of the story.

"Hello, nice to meet you, Dr John Smith, I'm a journalist. I was doing some research in the woodland about the effect of habitat loss on the atmospheric regulation of the water cycle when I came across George and Ross. I needed someone who knew the area well to assist me with some measurements and these two offered to help", the Doctor explained in that super-speedy way of his that leaves most people lost about half way through, but George's Nan was still sat listening intently with a ghost of a smile appearing at the mention of her granddaughter. The Doctor took this as a good sign and continued, pointing to his left.

"This is my assistant – "

"Co-investigator, Donna Noble", Donna cut in with her professional smile, "Please to meet you, your granddaughter has been a great help to us". Donna held out her hand for George's Nan to shake which she accepted.

"That is quite a story you are writing Doctor, Miss Noble. I'm glad my George could help you with your investigation, it must be due to the scientific genes she inherited from me. I'm a retired biomedical scientist you know", George's Nan whispered with a smile. George knew her Nan was proud to have worked in that service and had dozens of fascinating stories to tell people.

"Wow really?! I'm a keen scientist myself, it's always a pleasure to meet someone else who appreciates it", the Doctor beamed enthusiastically, pleased to have found someone who shared his passion. George took this is a good opportunity to sneak upstairs to gather the rest of her belongings she would need.

"Nan, why don't you tell the Doctor some of those stories you've told me growing up while I go and get some stuff from my room", George suggested, gradually edging away to the door.

"I would love to hear some of your old stories", the Doctor agreed, having cottoned on to what George was trying to do. She smiled her thanks at him then swiftly left the room, leaving the Doctor and Donna to talk to her Nan. She was halfway up the stairs when she heard someone else stand on the bottom step, she smiled to herself and turned around to see Ross had followed like she had hoped.

"Hey, thought I'd come help. Is that alright?", he said.

"Yeah, come on you", she replied softly, and his eyes lit up.

At the top of the stairs George turned right and opened the door to her bedroom. It was clear from the way everything was arranged slightly out of place that it been searched. Probably by the police looking for clues, George thought, though the breech of privacy still bothered her. She walked over to her wardrobe and stretched so she could reach the large holdall on top which she then placed on her double bed.

Ross had also entered her room and had sat himself down on the bed by the holdall.

"I thought I'd come up here to pack some more clothes and things I might need", George told Ross, "if I'm going to leave properly this time I might as well be more prepared". George had started taking clothes off hangers and was throwing them onto the bed haphazardly. Ross caught a pair of jeans that had been thrown too far in his direction, then began folding the clothes into her case.

"Are you sure you want to leave again permanently? Your Nan seems to really care about you", he queried, he wanted to double-check that she wasn't going to lead herself into more trouble.

"I know she cares about me and I love her for that, but I feel like this town is stuck in the past. I would like to travel somewhere life is more exciting and I can do something to make my Nan proud of me", she replied, hoping Ross would understand the need to get away.

"I know I'm not really the right person to ask given my track record over the past six months, but have you thought about where you want to go?".

George stopped leafing through her wardrobe and came to sit on the bed next to Ross; her legs crossed and head resting on her hands in thought.

"I spent months planning where I'd go before I left home for the first time. The woods we met in were only meant to be temporary shelter before taking a train somewhere far away, to the tip of Scotland or maybe further still", George detailed, "I thought life in a big city would be faster, more interesting. I know that sounds naïve". George gave a sarcastic smirk at her last statement.

"You're allowed to wish for a fresh start George", Ross reassured her, "When I discharged myself from U.N.I.T that's what I wanted too. I was going to travel back North to find my family again after five years with no contact".

"You had to leave your family behind completely to serve for U.N.I.T?" George asked surprised.

Ross shrugged, "It would have put them in too much danger if they were linked back to me. That's why I've waited this long to travel back to them to make sure I wasn't being followed". George felt tears starting to form as she thought about Ross being forced to leave his family behind for so long.

Ross must have noticed she was upset as he leant forward and wrapped his arms around her. George buried her face into his neck as he pulled her closer. She tried to steady her breathing to prevent the tears from falling.

"It's okay", he whispered, "It was my choice to leave them; they were proud when I told them I was going to serve in the forces. I can't imagine their faces now if I told them about all the aliens I've met, not sure they'd even believe me".

George could feel the soft rumble of his laugh from where his chest was pressed up against hers. She wiped the tears away with her hand and pulled back to talk face to face. She lifted a hand up to trace the line of bruises that were covering his jaw thanks to the Sontarans.

"We make quite the pair, don't we?", George sighed, "Both running away from the past to something we haven't figured out yet".

Ross was quiet for a while as if thinking over what she had said. George let her eyes drift over his face, admiring his boyish good-looks despite him being a similar age to her. They had literally saved each other's lives over the past two weeks and George felt secure in his arms wrapped around her waist as she held him just as close. His eyes had glazed over in thought and she wondered if he was also thinking about where he would go next.

She realised she had been staring too long as she noticed his mouth transform into a soft curve. She looked up to find an amused expression on his face.

"Shut up", she said embarrassed at having been caught.

"I didn't say anything!" he replied with mock-offense.

"You know you didn't have to" but George's defence was cut off because suddenly Ross was kissing her and all thoughts of anything else flew out of her mind. It felt like only seconds before she heard her Nan call up the stairs.

"George! Would you come down here please?", her Nan yelled. George and Ross broke apart instantly, so George could reply to her Nan.

"Okay, in a minute!"

George gave Ross one last peck before getting up off the bed and helping to finish pack her case to allow them to catch their breath before heading downstairs. George followed Ross back down the stairs who dumped the holdall in the hallway then returned to the lounge.

Fifteen minutes later after finishing their talk with her Nan, the four of them were ready to go. George's Nan lead them to the front door where she thanked the Doctor, Donna and Ross once again for looking out for George. Finally, she turned to say goodbye to her granddaughter.

"Thank you for coming back to me George, I was so worried about you but now I know you'll be alright with your friends".

"I really am sorry for leaving you behind, this time I'll keep you up to date with how I'm doing so you don't have to worry. There are some things I need to figure out and I can't do that here", she gave Ross a sideways glance. He had helped to lessen her burden of problems at home and now it was her turn to help him with his.

"Promise me you'll come back home to visit when you have worked it out".

"I promise", George said giving her Nan a final hug. She let go to pick up the holdall then turned to unlock the front door to let them out. As they filed out the door none of them expected the sight that greeted them.

George's house had been surrounded by soldiers pointing guns, clad in black combat uniforms and red berets. The shiny silver badges on their hats declared them to be part of U.N.I.T and George felt fear climb up her stomach at the realisation Ross had been caught.

A black woman, the only uniformed member not holding a gun and dressed in a blazer and skirt service uniform, stepped forward towards the group.

"I am Captain Magambo of the Unified Intelligence Taskforce. Soldier Ross Jenkins you are to come with us for questioning concerning your disappearance", Captain Magambo's voice was stern and no-nonsense.

"The Doctor, Miss Noble and Miss Georgina West are also required. You will comply or be taken by force, your choice".

George froze at the mention of her name being called out as well. There was no doubt that U.N.I.T had discovered their kidnap by the Sontarans and the fact that she and Ross had been assisting each other as missing persons. The look the Doctor was giving the armed soldiers around his TARDIS was one of disgust, his disapproval of guns and unnecessary violence very clear.

Despite the new development in their relationship, George couldn't bring herself to look at Ross, sure she would find a look of betrayal on his face because her little house-call had resulted in the exact thing the Doctor had warned about; his capture by the last people he wanted to see.

She copied Donna and the Doctor who had raised their hands above their heads in surrender. Four soldiers came forward to lead them into U.N.I. T's unmarked khaki Landrovers; Ross and the Doctor in one then George and Donna in the other. The cars began to pull away and George turned to look at her Nan through the tinted window. She was stood in the doorway with a hand covering her mouth in shock. A U.N.I.T officer was talking to her and George could only guess at the lies he was saying to cover up any suspicious alien involvement.

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Doctor Who, only my OC George.**

 **A/N: I have to confess that when I started writing this fanfic I wasn't intending for Ross & George's relationship to be anything more than friends but the characters got away from me and I gave in to it :/ , there has to be a happy element to every story after all. **


	13. Chapter 13 - Q and A

**In Hiding**

 **Chapter 13 - Q and A 'Questions and Avoidance'**

* * *

 **A/N: *WARNING* This chapter covers some tough issues about the subject of mental health.**

 **Ross POV**

The ride to the nearest U.N.I.T headquarters, which turned out to be in Snowdonia, Wales, was full of uncomfortable silence. Ross sat in the back of the Landrover with the Doctor and two other U.N.I.T soldiers separating them. He didn't recognise either of them, assuming they were based at the Snowdon branch they were heading to. The couple of times Ross looked over to the Doctor he was unable to make eye-contact, he kept expecting the Doctor to protest or ask something about their capture, but he kept unusually silent.

Being found by U.N.I.T was the one thing that he had tried to avoid over the past six months but now he had failed and was back in the hands of the people he wanted to escape from. He didn't blame George for wanting to go back home and visit her Nan, it wasn't her fault they got distracted and ended up staying longer than intended. He had hoped that somehow U.N.I.T wouldn't be able to track them down so quickly and they could have gotten away with it. However, he knew from when he used to work there that the TARDIS had a special status and any sighting no matter how fleeting was immediately followed up. He wouldn't have been surprised to learn that the soldiers had arrived in a fleet of helicopters as well as the back-up cars to ensure they caught the Doctor. Finding him as well was just a bonus.

He thought about Donna and George sat in the other car, two more civilians caught up in U.N.I. T's mission to contain what cannot be contained; the Doctor. Last time he and George had been arrested by the Sontarans they hadn't exactly been treated well. The treatment they would receive from U.N.I.T would only be better in the sense that this time he wouldn't get a beating, his rib was still sore but slowly on the mend with the help of the Doctor's medicine.

Over the past 24 hours since travelling in the TARDIS, Ross had come to realise that maybe he felt more for his friend than he was anticipating when first meeting her in the woods. Having been initially drawn together by their joint need of survival, since returning to Earth he had concluded that the feeling drawing him to her was still there. He enjoyed having her around to make her laugh or to swap stories about their families. But it was more than that, she understood exactly what it was like to lose people and craved for something new. He hadn't planned to kiss her, but the moment drew him in and the affection he sensed in her eyes afterwards gave him hope that she sensed the connection was still there too.

From where he was sat on the bench seats in the back of the Landrover, he could see out of the window opposite him, between the Doctor and one of the soldier's heads. He had never visited the Snowdon branch of U.N.I.T before having been stationed in London, but he could see why the area attracted so many people to it. Their car was passing through a small Welsh village, twisting and turning down the narrow roads with dry stone walls on either side. A river ran along one side of the road then dipped underneath as they went over a bridge, only to emerge from the other side as a gushing weir. The whole village was surround by blocks of mountains stretching up towards the sky and trapping a layer of clouds at their summits. The view was beautiful, and Ross was saddened at the thought of the tranquillity in the mountains and rivers being disturbed by the guns and other weapons of U.N.I.T Base 5.

The drive took in total around 3 hours before the cars had reached the base of Snowdon, the tallest mountain in the region standing at 1085m above sea level. It's triple-peaked slopes an impressive sight as they drove underneath the mountain and disappeared into a man-made tunnel that would take them straight the base. The large metal barriers at the entrance being locked by further guards as soon as they cleared them through.

Once out of the cars Ross and the Doctor were herded through a security check-in gate then into an office. Ross caught a glimpse of the car that George and Donna had been in but guessed they had been taken somewhere else. Captain Magambo came to greet them again as they followed her to sit around a table set up for an interview. Ross wasn't sure why the Doctor had been allowed to sit in on his U.N.I.T enquiry but was glad for the company.

Captain Magambo cleared her throat and pressed the record button on a Dictaphone device. "Ross Jenkins, formally the soldier codenamed 'Greyhound 40'. Do you agree to take part in an interview regarding your unorthodox discharge, with the Doctor as your legal representation?"

Ross looked over to the Doctor in shock, his friend had not mentioned being Ross' legal representation before, he didn't even think he had one. Realising he was taking too long to answer a command Ross snapped his mind back to the present.

"Yes Ma'am", he agreed. Captain Magambo turned to address the Doctor.

"Doctor, do you agree to represent Ross Jenkins in this enquiry in accordance to the U.N.I.T investigation bureaux?", she asked, her eyes narrowing as if daring him to say no.

"Yes Captain", the Doctor said politely, leaning forward to rest his forearms on the table.

"Very well, then we will begin the enquiry at the time of 13:26. Mr Jenkins, are you aware that following your self-inflicted resignation from the Unified Intelligence Taskforce, you failed to go through the correct channels of operational procedure?", the Captain started, looking up from where she was flicking through the pages of Ross' U.N.I.T file.

"Yes Ma'am", Ross replied, he could already tell that this session would involve Captain Magambo asking questions to try and catch him out, but he was determined to not place the fault at his door.

"Then please could you recall the actions that lead you to this decision", Captain Magambo probed further, her pen poised above a separate pad of paper.

Ross was thinking about the best way to phrase what he was going to say without receiving further judgemental looks from his superior.

"Ma'am, I'd completed my five years compulsory service and no longer wanted to serve as a member of U.N.I.T, so I took the course of action to discharge myself from service", he responded with the most basic answer he could think of to gently remind her that he had fulfilled the minimum service required to grant himself leave without sounding accusing.

Captain Magambo flicked back through his file until she came across his service records page. It showed he had served two years in the British Army from the age of 16 before being scouted into U.N.I.T at the age of 18 where had completed his minimum five years.

"You are correct in assuming that you have earnt the right for resignation, but you are still subjected to the approval of your superiors. You were showing signs of becoming a promising soldier, what lead you to such an impromptu decision?", Captain Magambo inquired, Ross felt as though she could see right through him with the scrutinising gaze she was giving him, he shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

"While I was recovering from my injuries I spent a lot of time thinking about what happened during the Sontaran invasion. It put doubts in my mind that what I was doing was wrong and that there were other ways I could help people without killing others at the same time", he tried to be as honest as he could, yet when his superior continued to sit in silence it was obvious she was expecting more of an answer.

At a loss for how to explain himself further without revealing how low he had felt in the hospital, Ross looked to the Doctor for support, who was still leaning forward on the table trying to hide the fact he was reading Ross' confidential file upside down. Realising the conversation around him had stopped flowing the Doctor looked round to see Ross staring at him with a troubled expression. Sensing his friend and 'legal client' was silently asking for help the Doctor jumped straight in with the defensive questioning.

"Right yes, sorry Captain, but I think the question that needs asking is whether your staff were checking up on the mental health of your patients as well as their physical health. From what Ross has told me it sounds like he was suffering a form of depression after his injury but was not offered any support other than physical medical needs", the Doctor was now leaning against the back of his chair, arms crossed and an angry look in his eyes. Ross was glad the Doctor's rant wasn't directed at him, but the Captain seemed unaffected by his glare.

"Excuse me, Doctor but it sounds like you are accusing my staff of negligence when the evidence in the medical file suggests that any extra support was not asked for by the patient in this case. All U.N.I.T soldiers are expected to conduct a high level of professionalism at all times and are responsible for dealing with any mental health issues in an appropriate way. If we are not alerted to a problem then we cannot deal with it", Magambo snapped, her tone rising as a threat to the Doctor to back down.

"Oh, if only Martha was still in charge of your medical team", the Doctor muttered under his breath, seemingly unheard by Captain Magambo. Ross smiled at his fond memories of Dr Martha Jones, the Doctor's former companion and friend who had overseen the first part of his recovery before she was posted to America.

"This is not a laughing matter, Mr Jenkins", Captain Magambo retorted, clearly mistaking Ross' smile to think he wasn't taking this seriously.

Ross knew that pleading his case and questioning the decisions of a superior member of staff was dangerous, but he needed to get these people the understand that if he hadn't had left when he did then he might have tried something he would regret.

"Ma'am, I understand that after my injury I may not have behaved as was expected of me, but you have to understand that the events leading up to that caused me to feel a certain way that I had little control over. I did what I had to survive, surely you must recognise that?"

Ross was looking at the Captain with a look of resolve in his eyes, willing her to just sign him off without blowing it out of proportion. He missed the look the Doctor gave him, full of sorrow and pain as he understood what Ross had implied when he'd confessed to feeling a certain way and what he might have done had he been forced to stay. His gut twisted at the thought of another person losing their life because they'd been drawn into his alien battles.

Finally, when Ross thought he would burst if he had to wait any longer, the Captain spoke.

"The first part of this interview is now finished. Mr Jenkins, your case for dismissal is closed pending a decision by the board. As you stated, under Convention 16 you have served the mandatory number of years and on behalf of U.N.I.T I apologise for any unpleasant experiences caused", the Captain stated with finality. She drew a line under what she was writing in Ross' files then closed the booklet to prevent the Doctor from reading it.

Ross couldn't believe what he was hearing, he had not expected Magambo's sudden turnaround in attitude and wondered what could have brought it on. He glanced over to the Doctor with a surprised look, but he seemed to be having a silent stand-off with the Captain, Ross suspected the Doctor's dark stare might have something to do with her backing down.

Remembering his manners Ross gave a quick "Thank you Ma'am", before going to stand up.

"One moment soldier, our interview is not yet over", the Captain brought her attention back to him as Ross slowly sank back into the chair, "I have some questions for the both of you about the recent Sontaran attack. Please, remain seated".

* * *

 **A/N: Thanks for sticking through this chapter, it was hard to write because I wanted to cover important issues that some people have to face every day in a way that was sensitive but also got across what it's like to feel that way.**

 **This chapter also involved a lot of research into the organisation of U.N.I.T (as well as a little into the actual Army) to make sure the story around Ross' dismissal was plausible.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with Doctor Who, only my OC George.**


	14. Chapter 14 - Donna and George

**In Hiding**

 **Chapter 14 – Donna and George**

* * *

 **George's POV**

As soon as they had stepped out of the Landrover, Donna and George were shepherded through the U.N.I.T compound then shown into an interview room. George had looked out for any sign of Ross and the Doctor, but she hadn't even seen their car drive into the base yet. She guessed that due to Ross being an ex-U.N.I. T soldier and the Doctor's special status they would be taken somewhere different to her and Donna who had no previous connections to U.N.I.T.

The soldier who had accompanied them on the journey here was now seated in front of them setting up recording equipment. Like Captain Magambo he also wore a black shirt and trouser service uniform instead of the black combat attire, signifying him as a higher rank.

"This interview with Miss Donna Noble and Miss Georgina West, commencing at 13:00, will be conducted by Captain Watts", the soldier – Captain Watts – spoke into the device.

"Miss Noble and Miss West as you are both civilians we will require your consent for this interview", he stated, "I advise you it is in your best interests to do so, in order to clear your names of any suspicious involvement with the Doctor". Captain Watts addressed them with a tight-lipped smile, his pencil- line moustache sat unwavering on his top lip. His suggestion seemed amiable enough, though George could tell it was a thinly veiled hint that their release depended on their co-operation with these people.

"I agree", George said, deciding playing ball would be best.

"So do I", Donna quickly seconded, "But first I'd like to know where you've taken the Doctor and Ross?".

The Captain's tight-lipped expression did not change at Donna's request although a slight frown formed around his eyes, he seemed to be trying very hard to contain any irritation he felt to appear as professional as possible.

"They have been taken to an interview room just like you have, nothing to concern yourselves about. Now please answer my following questions".

George was not satisfied with the Captain's patronising standard-issue answer, but if the Doctor and Ross had been kept together then she knew they would be capable of handling themselves. After all, they had more combined experience at dealing with U.N.I.T than she or Donna did.

Captain Watts began his questioning, "Firstly, Miss West. I have read your police file and understand that two weeks ago you were filed as a missing person's case. Please could you tell me how this lead to you meeting our former soldier 'Ross Jenkins'?"

George recounted the same story she had told her Nan, unaware of how much U.N.I.T already knew about her time in the woods or that she had been abducted by the Sontarans. As far as she was concerned, they had pulled her in to ask questions about her acquaintance with Ross, the Doctor and Donna.

"When I first met Ross in the woods I didn't know who he was, he told me he was an ex-soldier and offered to help treat the cut on my head that I acquired after tripping into a tree," she continued hoping Watts couldn't detect she was lying, "I took him up on his offer because I felt I could trust him to treat my head injury until it had improved enough for me to go somewhere else."

Captain Watts nodded at her answer before moving on to his next question.

"And now could you inform me of how you both then crossed paths with the Doctor, Miss Noble and the Sontarans?", he probed further.

George bolted upright, only now comprehending that she had mistakenly underestimated the intelligence power of U.N.I.T, she should have known that they would already have information about the Sontarans' activity on Earth and were waiting for her to slip up and tell them for herself.

"If you knew we had been captured by the Sontarans all this time, why didn't you respond to the distress call sooner?", George raised her voice slightly but a warning look from Donna reminded her to keep calm.

"It is true we detected the Sontaran's movements on Earth and that they had abducted two humans, although at the time we could not identify who they had taken", Watts confessed, "We took an educated guess that the Doctor would respond to the distress call and he did, allowing us to collect both him and our missing soldier".

The Captain wore a smug expression on his face at his achievement of tracking down both the Doctor and Ross. But George felt numb at his words, that he would bargain with innocent people's lives for a chance at intercepting the Doctor. U.N.I. T's ruthless reputation that Ross described to her was unveiling before her eyes.

"You mean, you used the abduction of two humans – my friends to assist your plan to catch the Doctor despite knowing that they could be killed", Donna cried out in exasperation; the earlier warning to stay calm forgotten, "You should be ashamed of yourself!"

Captain Watts refused to rise to Donna's tone, which only increased her frustration further as she sat back and waited for an answer.

"It was a strategic move that worked out well for all parties involved, therefore the operation is classed as a success", he replied with an edge to his voice, "Please refrain from making any further interruptions while the interview is still in process".

George and Donna both slumped back into their seats, knowing that picking a fight with a high up officer would not help their cause. George felt like she was back on the Sontaran ship, forced to answer questions by people who refused to see her side of the situation. The rest of the interview passed with her and Donna giving short-worded answers to Captain Watts' questions. George explained briefly what the Sontarans had wanted when they kidnapped them and how she had come up with the plan to escape. Donna then picked up the story and told him the Doctor's course of action upon receiving the distress call.

They both kept their answers as vague as possible, neither felt U.N.I.T deserved to know every single detail after the outrageous discovery they had deliberately failed to respond to a mayday. However, Watts seemed satisfied with their answers that he was scribbling down into an A5 pad to compare later with the audio recording.

George wondered if the Doctor and Ross were also being subjected to a bombardment of questions and whether the information they were giving U.N.I.T would help or hinder Ross' final release from their clutches.

When George and Donna had no more information left to tell him, Watts switched off the recording device and gathered his pen and pad.

"This interview is to be concluded at 14:30, thank you for your combined cooperation".

"What happens to us now?" Donna demanded, "Are we free to go?"

"Once the interview content has been analysed you will be called to a meeting to hear the outcome of your actions assisting the Doctor and Ross Jenkins", he responded, not quite answering the whole question.

"And once we've heard the outcome will you let us go?" Donna pushed. She was sat on the edge of her seat and George wouldn't have been surprised if she had followed the Captain out of the room until she got an answer.

Watts stood up from the table and hovered by the door. His eyes flicked between them both as he was trying to decide what to tell the two women who were both looking at him daggers.

Eventually, he said "Good day, Ladies", then walked out of the room, swiftly closing the door behind him.

George let out a frustrated sigh and dropped her forehead to the desk, using her arms to shield her face. She wished Ross was sat in the room with her, he always knew how to keep her hopes up with his charm and witty humour; she could use a piece of his optimism right now. She felt Donna reach out an arm around her shoulders and give her a hug.

"Don't worry," she said, "The Doctor will know how to get us out of here. U.N.I.T owe him plenty of favours after all he has done for Earth".

She swivelled her head in her arms to face Donna.

"I know, I do trust the Doctor. But I'm worried about what they will do to Ross, whether they will punish him for leaving", she admitted quietly.

"Listen, Ross has done nothing to be ashamed of. From what he told the Doctor he had every right to discharge himself after his injury, U.N.I.T just don't like being told they are wrong", Donna reassured her with a knowing look in her eyes.

"That lad has made quite the impression on you, hasn't he?" she teased, poking George in the side. George squirmed away in response as she sat back up.

"How long have you known?" she asked nervously, although if Donna had already sensed it then there was no point in hiding it.

"Let's just say, I think you should give your Nan more credit for noticing the things that you two haven't quite worked out yet", Donna smirked, "Also two random strangers don't just follow each other across space and back without feeling something unspoken connecting them".

George felt her cheeks blush again as she remembered her Nan casually implying if Ross was her boyfriend. She had yet to discuss with Ross what had happened at her house and whether there was the option for more from their friendship, she hadn't let herself dwell on those feelings too much in case she was tempting fate but now Donna had brought it up again she knew they would be harder to dismiss.

"Your right, I do feel something else for him, but whatever it is will have to wait to be figured out when our lives have returned to normal again", she stated plainly. It was problems like this she wished she could ask her mother about, but since her death she'd had to play the role of an adult all the time.

Donna hummed in acknowledgment and removed her arm from George's shoulders with a sympathetic pat. Any thoughts of complicated feelings aside, all they could do now was sit and await the verdict of U.N.I.T command, hoping that it fell in their favour.

* * *

 **A/N: Like the Doctor in these episodes, I didn't really like what the 2008 U.N.I.T stood for with their 'all guns blazing approach'. In the later Doctor Who series when the Science division has taken over is much better :)**


	15. Chapter 15 - There's always a catch

**In Hiding**

 **Chapter 15 - Careful what you wish for, there's always a catch**

* * *

 **Ross' POV**

It took U.N.I.T officials just under an hour to listen to both sets of interviews again and call their small group into a boardroom to announce the conclusion of the enquiry. Ross was suspicious of the quick turnaround time; considering his employers had had six months to think about what they would do to him he speculated his fate had been sealed prior to entering the Snowdon base.

At the head of the large glass-topped table running the length of the room sat Captain Magambo and Captain Watts, both silently watching as the two remaining subjects of their enquiry were filtered into the room to sit at the far end of the table. Ross took a seat opposite where George and Donna had already been placed; the Doctor sitting down next to him. The sight of George unharmed washed away the anxiety he had felt whilst separated from her. Whilst walking into the room he had to resist the urge to run up and hold her; any sign of physical contact or familiarity was looked down upon by U.N.I.T and while he was still under their command he had to adhere to those rules.

Donna greeted both him and the Doctor with a questioning look when they sat down, to which the Doctor responded with a small nod. Ross had never seen the Doctor so content in a room full of soldiers to just sit there and let them decide what happens. The man he had witnessed six months ago would have taken control of the room as soon as he had walked in, pointing out flaws in their solutions and suggesting better ones of his own. The Doctor outranked every Officer and Captain in the room but appeared to be choosing to ignore that fact and play by their rules. Whether he had some plan up his sleeve or not, Ross could not work out but whatever their fate, it was currently to be decided solely by U.N.I.T.

The last few people entered the room, a police officer accompanied by his secretary and an armed soldier who stood guard by the door once it was closed. Captain Magambo stood up to address the room.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this meeting has been called to report the findings of the two enquiries carried out this afternoon concerning the one former soldier and three civilians in this room. These four parties were involved in unauthorised liaisons with a Sontaran warcraft following the removal of Ross Jenkins and Georgina West from an unknown location on Earth where they were held prisoner for two days. The distress call received by U.N.I.T was also received by the Doctor and Donna Noble who responded by threatening the Sontaran battlefleet with a warning from the Shadow Proclamation to free the prisoners as detailed above. This was shortly followed by an unauthorised TARDIS landing where we sent teams to intercept the Doctor and unexpectedly recovered soldier, Ross Jenkins, who stands accused of being AWOL (Absent Without Leave)", Captain Magambo finished lecturing and sat back down at the head of table, shuffling her notes back into order on her desk.

The next person to stand up was Captain Watts, "As the Captain in charge of conducting the civilian section of this enquiry it is my responsibility to deliver the results. Donna Noble, a known companion of the Doctor also obtains his extended security clearance and is therefore exempt from any U.N.I.T sanctions. However, the civilian Georgina West is under the responsibility of the local Police Constabulary", Watts explained.

He motioned for the flustered police officer sat to his right to start speaking, he stood up and nervously arranged his papers. Ross guessed this was his first time representing the police at such a prestigious government body meeting and was feeling out of his depth. Still, Ross found himself gripped to every word the man was saying relating to George.

"Miss West has been cleared of any unlawful conduct relating to her involvement with the fugitive Ross Jenkins as it has been concluded the reason for their acquaintance was merely to aid her chances of escaping her home life. The situation with the Sontarans is also being treated as an accidental occurrence and we have now closed the Missing Person's casefile", the police officer clarified; he looked relieved to come to the end of his speech as he quickly sat back down without being asked.

Ross on the other hand was not feeling so relieved, whilst it was great news that George had not been blamed for any part of the incident, it still stung to hear their friendship being spoken about in such blunt terms. _The reason him and George had stuck together had to be more than mere survival didn't it?_ Ross thought. He shook his head, he was not going to let these manipulative people put doubts in his mind about feelings they could never understand. He glanced over at George who finally made eye contact with him for the first time since entering the room. He offered her a tiny smile, silently asking if that was all their friendship was. Her face gave nothing away as she turned back to face Captain Watts, until he felt her hand reach out under the table to grasp his fingers and he felt the rush of warmth he'd been missing since he kissed her.

"Thank you, officer", Watts acknowledged dragging Ross back from his feelings to hear the rest of his speech, "Captain, as a response to these findings we suggest that no further U.N.I.T sanctions are required, however we recommend that Miss West along with her Grandmother are placed on a witness protection scheme to prevent any future affiliation with the Doctor or extra-terrestrial life".

"Witness protection scheme?", George blurted out, "Do you mean change my name, address and essentially my whole identity?". All eyes in the room flicked to George at her unscheduled interruption, she shrank back in her seat not liking the sudden shift of attention to her.

It was the Doctor who spoke first, his words laced with compassion.

"I'm sorry, but it's the only way to keep you safe. My negotiations with the Sontaran battlefleet were effective for _now_ , but I can't guarantee they won't target you or your family again. That's the problem with Sontarans, always spoiling for a fight. It's - best if you never see me again", he spoke softly.

George's face drained of colour and she gripped Ross' hand tighter under the table, very aware that 'never see me again' also included Donna and Ross. She looked scared, scared at being thrown into another life of hiding her true self. Although she had got exactly wanted she wanted – a new start – it was not on her own terms.

"The concern to your safety coupled with your new knowledge of U.N.I. T's restricted alien operations means you are bound to confidentiality by the Official Secrets Act. This solution will allow us to protect you and our security secrets at the same time", Magambo jumped in, her voice carrying more efficiency than sympathy.

Ross sensed the Doctor bristle beside him at the Captain's unyielding attitude towards people like George who through no fault of their own had ended up in the middle of a giant alien mess that caused organisations like U.N.I.T a headache. He could understand the harsh treatment he had received as a runaway soldier but for George who was still new to this environment he couldn't understand why they treated her as if she was guilty as well.

"We will now move on to the second section of this meeting, discussing the fate of Ross Jenkins, formally known as the taskforce solider 'Greyhound 40'", Magambo once again brought the room under her control. She placed her papers back onto the table and moved on to pick up the beige file with Ross' name on.

"Six months ago, this soldier dismissed himself from service without following the correct procedures, the disciplinary panel awarded his actions with a Dishonourable Discharge. However, in lieu of recent events involving this soldier saving the life of the civilian Georgina West, we have reconsidered the original decision", she paused to sneak a glance at the Doctor who was still giving her a hard stare, "Ross Jenkins you are now permitted to resign from service with U.N.I.T, all appropriate forms have been filled out and accepted".

Her words had Ross poised on the edge of his seat in disbelief, for the second time today he had heard words come out of the Captain's mouth that he could never imagine; that he was being released from U.N.I. T's control.

"I don't know what to say, thank you, Ma'am", he said stealing a fleeting look at George, "Does this mean I am free to pursue a different life without U.N.I.T?"

He turned his head back towards the Captain, his elation fading slightly as the clinical expression on her face hadn't changed. His gaze moved over to his friends in the room, who also weren't sharing his joy. Rapidly it hit him like a tonne of bricks, if they hadn't let George (an innocent civilian) walk out of U.N.I.T completely free, then why would he be treated any differently.

"What's the catch?", he asked dejectedly, "There always is a catch".

"The conditions of your release are the same as Miss West's. You will also be entered into a Witness Protection programme", Watts filled him in, "You know too much about how we operate and could still be a threat to us".

Ross scoffed, if they thought he was a threat to U.N.I.T then why hadn't they tried harder to find him during the six months he went missing or even go as far as detaining him permanently when they did catch him.

"Now hang on a minute, Captain, if I may interrupt", the Doctor started. He stood up and gradually walked over to where the higher-ranking officers were seated, as if finally claiming his rightful place at the head of the table. Ross smirked as he sensed a rant from his friend was imminent.

"I'm not surprised you want to keep Ross contained after learning everything negative he feels towards your organisation but if you are seriously worried he is a threat then surely that means you believe him to still be a good soldier, one that could bring down your little establishment overnight".

"Doctor, where are you going with this?" Donna whispered with doubt.

"I should warn you Doctor there will be consequences if you continue down this line – "

"Just give me a minute", the Doctor reassured Donna, cutting the one of the officers off midsentence. He then whipped around to face the two Captains his tone matter-of-fact, "He's already disappeared from your radar once, what makes you think that if you try and pin him down in one place again that he is going to stay put. Ross is a good man who would do everything in his willpower to help others and you want to contain him to life that prevents that. You want to know what I think, instead of sending him away give him a second chance, hmm?"

The Doctor had walked full-circle around the room so by the end of his rant he was stood at the opposite end of table to U.N. high command, arms leaning over the table in preparation of a stand-off. Everyone, including Donna who had heard him speak like that before was sat in awe of the Timelord before them, scolding the humans with his wise words.

"What makes you think you have power over us, Doctor? You may be on the pay-roll but that doesn't mean you are entitled to question our authority and orders", Watts shouted. It amused Ross to see the people who had tried to crush him look so unsettled by the Doctor's reasonable suggestion.

"That is something you need to bring up with the Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart. But for now, maybe you should listen because I don't think you really want to unleash the Timelord Victorious inside of me", the Doctor said, "Let me take custody of Ross".

Whether the soldiers of U.N.I.T knew what he meant by the Timelord Victorious or not, it was enough to send a quiver of fear down their backs as they all subconsciously reached for their gun holsters.

"Very well, Doctor. You may assume responsibility for another of your lost soldiers", Magambo reluctantly agreed, "This meeting is over".

The Doctor walked straight over to the door and held it open, motioning for Ross, Donna and George to step outside the room quickly. As soon as he had walked around the other side of the table, Ross caught George's wrist to allow him to hold her hand properly, partly to reassure her that he was still there and partly to stop his own hands from shaking at the near escape he had just experienced.

The Doctor popped his head back around the door of the boardroom and said with a wide grin, "We would like to thank you kindly for your co-operation", before slipping out the door again, leaving a room full of bewildered and outplayed U.N.I.T soldiers.

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Doctor Who only my OC George.**

 **A/N: Thank you for the review, I hadn't even noticed when I was writing it that Donna was basically describing what she did with the Doctor.**

 **I kind of knew from the beginning that I wanted to split my characters up at some point, even though it would be sad I didn't want to go down the cliché route of 'happily ever after'. Find out in the last couple of chapters what the Doctor's plans are for Ross and a serious conversation needs to be had between him and George.**


	16. Chapter 16 - I want you to be happier

**In Hiding**

 **Chapter 16 - I want you to be happier**

* * *

 **George's POV**

After the experience of the U.N.I.T board-meeting, George was left feeling shattered as she joined the others sat around the TARDIS console. Her emotions had been flung from relief at being freed to frustration at the half-deals they had been left with. Her and Ross' freedom had come at the cost of separation from each other. As much as she could see why U.N.I.T wanted to place her under protection, she couldn't understand why they were taking her away from the only people she felt safe with; the Doctor, Donna and Ross.

She had tried her best to keep her emotions in check in front of the soldiers, but now she was temporarily back in the shelter of the TARDIS and her friends it was more difficult.

"Fat lot of good they were!" Donna exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air, "Who are they trying to save, Earth or themselves?".

George involuntarily flinched at Donna's thrown-up arm as it came into view from where she was sat beside her on the sofa. The Doctor, who was leant against the side of the console facing them, noticed her reaction. With a quick shake of his head and a flick towards George, Donna immediately deflated.

"Anyway, we got out and that's what matters. Are you okay?", she asked, turning towards George who was currently focused on anything but the other three people in the room. She could sense the Doctor's concerned gaze on the top of her head from where he stood by the console. Just out of the corner of her peripheral vision were Ross' black boots, stood furthest away from the group against a padded metal railing. She took a deep breath to pull herself together before answering Donna's question.

"Yeah, I'm okay. It's not how I thought I'd be starting a new life when I left home before but it will keep my Nan safe. Besides, it's not me I'm worried about. Doctor, what did you mean when you said you'd take custody of Ross?", since returning to the TARDIS he had whisked Ross away to discuss what his plans after U.N.I.T would be.

Donna had offered to talk through things with her, but George had needed some space to think so had wandered through the corridors until finding a quiet place to sit. Now they were all back in the console room though, she needed her questions answered. The Doctor sighed and ran a hand through his messy hair.

"The only way I could convince U.N.I.T to agree not to send Ross away was if he was still partly under their control. I know this must sound like a betrayal of my promise not to hand you both over, but I couldn't let these people completely ruin your lives", the Doctor said quietly, eyes tinged with regret.

"And you agreed to continue working for them", Donna asked Ross, "I thought you didn't want to be a soldier anymore?".

George faced Ross with a confused expression to match Donna's. Ross had told her that he didn't want to work for U.N.I.T anymore, that they stood for everything he no longer believed in.

"It's more complicated than that", he began, "I don't agree with the way U.N.I.T run things but the Doctor is right, if I'm hiding away I can't help anyone. He's offered to transfer me to America to train as a medical officer".

George heard the slight catch in his voice at the mention of America, he was good at concealing his emotions, but she was getting better at reading him.

"America? That's where you mentioned Martha was working", Donna stated; the Doctor nodded in confirmation.

"I've been in touch and she's agreed to take him on. I promise he'll be in a better place with her than anyone over here", the Doctor directed the last sentence at George; like Donna he had also picked up on the growing connection between his two youngest passengers.

"Okay", she responded quietly, knowing deep down that what the Doctor said was true. It didn't make it any easier to accept though.

"George, can we talk?", Ross said softly, walking closer to the door. She didn't need to be asked twice as she shot up from the sofa and practically ran after him.

Ross lead the way through the maze of corridors, George following him until he stopped by the door she recognised as the entrance to the kitchen. They were sat at the breakfast table, on stools directly opposite each other, neither meeting the other's eyes. George knew what Ross wanted to talk about, but she was afraid it would lead to a barrage of emotions flooding through. As it was she was trying to swallow down tears.

"George, please say something", Ross whispered after several minutes of silence. She had millions of jumbled thoughts whizzing around her head but the first thing that came out was;

"Are we still running, or have we stopped now?"

Ross took a moment to answer, "I'm not sure but the things we are running from keep changing so it's hard to tell. What do you think?". He shifted the question back to her.

George was also unsure of what she was running from now, everything she had tried to leave behind (the guilt, the pain and being blamed for something that wasn't true), had now come full circle and was waiting in front of her as a life of hiding and secrecy.

"I think you're right. It's hard to keep track when the markers keep moving, but there was one thing I thought I was sure of", she paused to reach across the table and lightly touched Ross' hand; he instantly turned it over to hold hers better.

"Something unplanned that was worth running towards for a change, but – what happens when they rip us apart?", she continued, voice breaking at the end as a tear escaped against her will.

She reached up to wipe it away, wanting to stay together in front of Ross but instead he took her other hand and brushed the tear away with his thumb.

"Travelling with the Doctor, it's not like normal life. One day you help a stranger in the woods, only to fall for the beautiful person you get to know. But nothing lasts forever with him, life is always moving forward in three different directions at once".

"And it doesn't always move in the direction we want", George finished, she'd heard the Doctor and Donna talking about Martha Jones, his previous companion, and wondered how many more people had touched lives with the Doctor only to leave in the end.

"I wish things could be different, I don't want to leave you before we've even worked out what we have", Ross admitted, the ghosts of tears clouding his light blue eyes, "You've been the only person in the last six months that has made me want a normal life again".

"No more hiding", George smiled sadly. She was reminded of the day her and Ross were sat on the bed in her room, talking about where their future would take them, like children planning an adventure. The memory of their first kiss was now tinged with the bittersweet feeling of having to step up as adults and sacrificing potential happiness for the sake of each other's safety.

Not wanting to waste her last moment alone with him, George shifted along the row of bar stools until she could sit next to him without the barrier of the table. She brought her arms to rest around his neck, fingers carding the softer hairs at the base, as he wrapped his arms around her waist. Unlike their first kiss which was unexpected and rushed, she wanted their last to convey the fondness she felt for him and all the things they could have had if the future was not predetermined.

She leaned in slowly, wanting to make sure this was what he wanted, one last promise to keep each other safe before having to face the world alone. She need not have worried as Ross met her halfway, softly at first before all the unspent emotions were poured into the kiss and they were forced apart by the need to breathe. George rested her spinning head against his as they steadied one another for what laid ahead.

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Doctor Who, only my OC George.**

 **A/N: Agh writing this chapter was so sad! Splitting up Ross and George was a hard decision because it meant taking away the one happy thing they had throughout this story** **but so many of the companions that end up travelling with the Doctor do have to make sacrifices like this so they can keep the people they love safe.**

 **The next chapter to be posted will be the last one of the main story (unless I have second thoughts about the sad ending).**

 **The title for this chapter was inspired by my favourite band Bastille's new song 'Happier' :)**


	17. Chapter 17 - Journey's End

**In Hiding**

 **Chapter 17 - Journey's End**

* * *

 **Ross' POV**

The Doctor dropped George off first.

Back to U.N.I. T's Snowdon Base 5 where her Nan was stood waiting for her amid a mountain of luggage. Running straight towards her, George was engulfed in a firm hug, her Nan clinging on as if afraid her granddaughter would slip away again.

It didn't take long for their whole life to be packed into a large truck, the suitcases and boxes crammed into the space. Ross could see the purple and black holdall that had sat between them on the bed a few days ago, balanced precariously on top of a cardboard box labelled 'George's room'. He knew that this time it would travel a lot further away from home than the woods of their first encounter. Although the particulars of the protection scheme stated that no-one was permitted to know the final destination, even George herself was still in the dark about where she and her Nan would be sent to.

Ross turned back towards the TARDIS a few metres away where the Doctor and Donna were watching from the doorway, having already said their goodbyes to George. He frowned as Donna mouthed something to him, not understanding what she was trying to say. He shook his head at her when she repeated the same thing but with hand actions. Giving up, she brought her hands to her cup her mouth and said, "Go and say good bye to her properly".

Ross couldn't help but smile at Donna's request; as if he needed reminding this would be the last chance to say goodbye. He'd been putting it off whilst helping to load up the van because he knew that any words spoken now couldn't mean as much as their stolen moment in the TARDIS earlier. Everything important had already been said and anything new would just add to the pile of painful things that people felt should be said when faced with a forthcoming parting.

With an encouraging nod from the Doctor to second Donna's request, Ross wandered over to where George was stood with her Nan, waiting to say goodbye.

He went to shake her Nan's hand first and was taken by surprise when she drew him in for a hug.

"Thank you for taking care of my granddaughter", she whispered next to his ear, "I know you mean a lot to each other". When he stepped out of her embrace she gave him a sympathetic smile and moved away to take her seat in the front of the truck, giving them some privacy.

His stomach flipped as he recognised the shadow of fear in George's eyes, the same vulnerability he had witnessed after he'd shaken her awake in the woods, deep blue eyes peering up at him trying to work out if he could be trusted or not. He wanted to think after all the things they had seen and done during their time together that he had at least earnt her trust now.

"Ross", she murmured, "It's time to go"

"I know", he replied, gathering her in his arms. Not caring when his half-mended ribs ached as she tightened her hold. He pressed a gentle kiss to the side of her head and let her go then as agreed they went their separate ways; George joining her Nan and Ross back to the TARDIS.

No sooner had the door closed behind him, he heard the TARDIS whirr into life as the Doctor shifted course for their next stop.

"I suppose this is where I say good bye to you two as well", Ross said once the TARDIS had landed. The Doctor handed him a rucksack which he slung over his shoulder, the only possessions he had to show for five years' service at U.N.I.T.

"Come here", Donna said, holding her arms out for him. She gave him a quick squeeze before letting go, "Promise me you'll look after yourself out there".

"I'll try to"

"Oh, he'll be fine, won't you Ross?", the Doctor jumped in, "Bedsides, Martha will be looking out for you".

"Thank you, Doctor", he said, holding his hand out. The Doctor took it and meeting his eyes he hoped to pass on the rest of his silent thanks, for saving his life again and allowing him a second chance.

"Good luck", the Doctor nodded sincerely. Ross hitched his rucksack further up his shoulder and with a wave to his two friends, he walked out the blue panelled doors.

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Doctor Who, only my OC George.**

 **A/N: Thank you for reaching the end of my fanfic, it took a good part of this summer to write it and allowed me to escape into the character's world for a while. The inspiration behind this story came after re-watching the episodes The Sontaran Stratagem and The Poison Sky, as mentioned in the first chapter. I chose to write about Ross' character because when watching the scene where he dies in the cannon verse, I couldn't help but think that he didn't need to, that another person had died fighting in the name of the U.N.I.T when they were just starting to see things from the Doctor's perspective. It also made me think about what could have happened had Ross' character survived the Sontarans like in this AU story and how it might have affected him. Writing about the subject of mental health, one of the themes running through the story, is important to me because it can be a really hard subject to speak about when the people you talk to don't understand. But this platform allows people to understand by placing them in the characters shoes.**

 **Sorry, I know that was longwinded for a last Author's Note and you don't have to pay attention to it but as long as you enjoyed the story then I'm happy :)**


	18. Chapter 18 - Epilogue

**In Hiding**

 **Epilogue – 'Just for tonight forget who we are'**

* * *

 **4 Years Later …**

 **Ross POV**

The graveyard was still and quiet except for the small group of people gathered at a newly dug graveside across the way from where Ross was respectfully keeping his distance. The stark difference in weather between New York and the East coast of Scotland was apparent by the multiple layers people were wrapped up in as they stood to say their final goodbyes on a crisp November morning.

Ross flipped the invitation over and over in his hands, still debating whether to go through with the Doctor's request. It had been four years since he had said goodbye to George, thinking that U.N.I.T had split them up for good and he was aware that she could have moved her life on from whatever had emerged between them.

A week ago, he had received an anonymous letter informing him that George's Nan had been taken unexpectedly ill and passed away shortly after; it also detailed the times and location for the funeral. It hadn't taken him long to work out the letter had been sent by the Doctor, who behind U.N.I. T's back had been secretly checking up on the welfare of his previous companions. He understood the Doctor was sending him a message, one that went beyond the lines written on the paper. George had lost her only remaining connection to the past, having been cut off from her family four years ago when she was relocated to Scotland by U.N.I.T and she was going to need an old friend.

The ceremony appeared to draw to a close as people started to move away in twos or threes, disappearing out of the cemetery's metal gates until a lone woman was left standing there. Deciding it was now or never Ross made his way over to George. The long grass around the headstones left his boots slightly damp with dew.

George was dressed in a fitted black-felt coat that fell just to her knees, half-hiding her black jeans. She'd tied her hair up in a neat ponytail before wrapping a thick multicoloured scarf around her neck. Ross thought she looked cold, stood with her shoulders hunched to brace herself against the chill or maybe just the rest of world. His stomach twisted nervously when he reached where she stood, the freshly laid flowers bringing some colour and warmth to the scene.

Ross cleared his throat before speaking, not wanting to frighten her, "Hey George".

She spun round abruptly on the spot causing her scarf to swing out before settling on the front of her coat. She let out a small gasp, bringing a hand to her mouth as she took on the expression of someone who had just seen a ghost.

"I'm sorry for turning up uninvited, I heard about your Nan and wanted to say goodbye", he apologised quickly. He studied her face as she gathered her thoughts, traces of tears were still visible on her cheeks from where she had been crying. George brought her hand back down as she collected herself.

"Ross, how can you be here?" she breathed, a puzzled look taking over.

"The Doctor _may_ have helped", he answered, quirking the corner of his lip up in a small smile.

"Of course", George nodded as understanding dawned on her face, "You look – different". She reached out to gingerly run a hand through his hair that he'd let grow longer during his time in America, instead of the short soldier haircut it had become a sort of messy quiff.

"As do you", he quipped back, grin growing wider at her familiar contact. It was true, in the four years since he'd seen her she no longer looked like the lost person he'd met in the woods. Instead she appeared more confident in herself and where she was.

"Four years is a long time", she replied but couldn't stop the smile that was tugging at the corners of her mouth, "Thank you for coming back".

George pulled him in for a hug and he willingly let her, glad that she had accepted him and not turned him away like he had feared on the journey over here. He gradually let her go, not wanting to step out of the embrace he'd missed so much but there was another reason he'd come back.

"George, I wanted to apologise to you for not being there when your Nan was unwell. I can only imagine how hard it was but now that I'm here I'd like to make it up to you, if that's okay?" he faltered on the last few words as he noticed her smile slip away at the mention of her Nan. Her eyes lingered on the newly dug soil before flicking back to his.

"I'd love that, and I know my Nan would approve of you too", she chuckled reaching for his hand, "C'mon, let's get out of the cold".

…

 **George POV**

Walking away from her Nan's grave was one of the hardest things she had to do, it reminded her of the day she'd walked away from her parents'. How she didn't want to leave them out of sight for fear that they'd stop existing and she would forget them. Last time it had been her Nan who had lead her away, trying to stop the tears flowing as they meandered through the gravestones. But this time was different.

She marvelled at the warmth of her hand sat snug in Ross' while they headed for shelter in the nearest café. She still couldn't believe that he was back in her life again, she'd never forgotten the days spent on board the Sontaran ship or in the TARDIS, but she regretted to admit the hope of finding him had dwindled over time.

After ordering their hot drinks, they seated themselves in a booth as far away from the door and the cold air as possible. George unwrapped the multicoloured scarf she'd been using to hide her face from her Nan's friends during the funeral service and placed it on the seat next to her. She then wrapped one hand round her hot chocolate while the other found its way back to Ross, still needing to physically reassure herself he was in front of her.

"So, the Doctor was the one who contacted you about my Nan?", she asked, curious to know how he'd found her despite U.N.I.T changing her identity.

"Yeah, he sent me a letter telling me what had happened and where you were. Once I'd cleared things with work I flew from New York straight away, I figured you'd need a friend".

George smirked, she knew their relationship was already developing beyond 'just friends' the first time they'd met.

"Hmm, the Doctor must have been keeping tabs on us to know where we all were. Still I'm pleased he did because I've spent the past four years wondering about where you ended up", she confessed, hoping it didn't sound silly she'd been pining so long for someone she barely knew anymore. However, she was pleasantly surprised to see a blush creeping up Ross' face.

"Truthfully," he said relieved, "I've been thinking the same thing. For a while I tried searching through U.N.I.T intel for some hint to where they'd taken you, but they shut me off whenever I got too close to a lead. I knew it was best for your safety, so I dropped it and just had to trust you were alright".

George was touched by Ross' efforts to find her and she had to take a drink to cover up the blush forming on her cheeks too. She'd though about him often while she was setting up her new life in Scotland, the smallest things would remind her of the time with him, the Doctor and Donna. Even the reason she had chosen her current job as a University Mental Health Officer was because he'd inspired her to make a difference to people's lives, the way they had helped each other overcome their problems on board the TARDIS.

"It was hard at first", she admitted, "Starting somewhere completely new where everyone I met was a stranger and all I could tell them about me was the background U.N.I.T made up. But it was the fresh start my Nan and I needed. We made new friends, I got a new job and moved forwards".

"Oh, any new friends I should know about?", Ross quirked his eyebrow up with a tongue-in-cheek grin.

George shook her head and laughed, "Well maybe one or two", she teased "But it was never going to work when I was still waiting for someone else".

Ross laughed too and began lazily dragging his thumb across her knuckles like they were just a normal couple, on a normal date.

"Anyway, enough of me. How did you get on in America, I hope Martha treated you better than they did over here?", she enquired, keen to know if Ross had also gotten the new life he deserved.

"Martha was fantastic helping me. As soon as my ribs had healed enough she got me started training as a Medical Officer. She was a tough teacher, but I managed to qualify at the end of a year. We've been following U.N.I.T around the US ever since, wherever there was an alien conflict they needed us there too".

"That's amazing", George beamed, "I'm so pleased you got to continue helping people in the way you wanted, Martha sounds great too I'd like to meet her one day. You seem much happier too", she added. Hearing Ross had been given the second chance he deserved filled her with joy to know he was no longer suffering under the scrutiny of U.N.I.T and was instead being supported by his new team.

"Thank you and yeah, I think I am", he returned with a modest smile that made George love him even more for it.

The pair continued to talk long after their drinks had been finished. The booth they had seated themselves in acting as their own private bubble against the harsh weather outside as well as anyone that wanted to keep them apart. It was only when the wait-staff started to give them impatient looks that they took their que to leave.

Stepping out the front doors, the cold breeze from earlier had been replaced by some hazy warmth from the sun just breaking through the clouds. George noticed Ross also looking up at the sky and chose that moment to steal a kiss, catching him adorably off-guard. As they broke apart, he gently brushed his nose against hers and the first thing that popped into George's head was _'screw what U.N.I.T think about us'._

"Where to now?", Ross asked her, blue eyes bright as he continued to hold her gaze.

"Let's go home", she replied as they started walking in the direction of what was now her own house.

* * *

 **A/N: Okay so I had second thoughts about the sad ending and couldn't resist writing an extra chapter to make up for it. It doesn't exactly explain a lot about what happened after they were split up except that time healed them and they've found a way to be together again because sometimes things do eventually work out the way we want, sometimes. The title for this chapter is taken from a beautiful song by James Bay.**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Doctor Who, only my OC George and my cover drawings.**


End file.
